The family farm was a profitable operation. Fred’s dad kept up with the latest innovations and improvements in farming by continuous contact with Ontario agriculture agents. He raised prize-winning cattle and ran a profitable farm operation. These profits allowed Fred to attend the University of Toronto. Later when Fred was doing research to test his theory about a treatment for diabetes, Fred had no income whatsoever. Fortunately, the well-run family farm in Alliston permitted his father to lend Fred enough to sustain him while he was doing the research that led to his life-saving discovery.
Fred’s parents believed in a good education and encouraged him to be a conscientious student. On one occasion Fred was having a bad day in his Alliston public school. So he decided, at midday, to quit school and go home. When his father, William Banting, found he was home. he asked why Fred wasn’t at school, Fred told his father that he was quitting school. Surprisingly, William told him that was fine. He then went on to explain that if Fred wanted to stay at home he could do farm chores. Fred’s first task was immediately to start cleaning the chicken coup. This Fred did. Now, cleaning a chicken coop is possibly the worst job possible. Quite simply, it is a stinking mess. Needless to say, Fred resumed his schooling with new enthusiasm.
Fred’s older brother Kenneth, who farmed in Bounty Sask. talked about Fred bringing home dead gophers, squirrels and skunks. He dissected them all. His curiosity about their anatomical structure, no doubt influenced his later decision to become a surgeon. It also generated a bit of cash. With careful dissection, Fred could render skunk oil and sell it to the local druggist. People bought the skunk oil to use as a mild liniment or decongestant.
The druggist was J.R. Hipwell, who owned and operated the local corner drug store in Alliston. Hipwell’s son, Fred Hipwell was Fred Banting’s cousin, and a very close friend. Fred Banting’s curiosity was stimulated by J.R. Hipwell, who always made a place for and encouraged Banting to make use of the small laboratory behind the Hipwell store.
When animals were slaughtered or simply died William encouraged his boys to find out why. William raised prize-winning Short Horn beef cattle. In the early twentieth century, farmers routinely got their cattle pregnant so they weighed more when slaughtered. Fred knew this by the first hand experience and this knowledge was a key part of the discovery of Insulin story, when he needed more pancreases to further production of the insulin hormone..
After graduation from the University of Toronto, he wished to go into research. An opportunity to do so was not available. But Fred’s practical parents encouraged him to carry out his orthopedics specialty in London Ontario. Patients were too few for Fred to make a living. With some financial support from the Alliston farm, Fred was able to pursue research in Toronto that resulted in his marvelous discovery and brought him fame.
These anecdotes have been adapted from material provided in 1941 by Marion Walwyn, a cousin of Fred Banting.