The Greatest Doctors of the 20th Century

The very first hospital in Montreal still in existence is called Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal.

We briefly mentioned the founder of Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal a layperson by the name of Jeanne Mance. She established the first nurses in Montreal in the 1600's and today the hospital remains a training center for nursing.

We looked at the origin of free healthcare in Montreal, starting from the men and women of the colony of New France, now we will turn our attention to the some of the greatest Canadian doctors of the 20th century.

By the 20th Century Nobel prize winner Dr, Fredrick Banting of Alliston, Ontario along with colleagues such as Dr. Frederick Best invented insulin. Banting and McLeod, one of the associates, received the Nobel prize for this discovery in 1923. The following year, Dr. Wilder Penfield of the Montreal Neurological Institute discovered a surgical procedure for epilepsy, which was named the Montreal procedure at the time. Dr. Penfield is the street running adjacent to McGill University. It separates the McGill complex into its upper and lower divisions. Banting, Best, and Penfield are among the greatest doctors of the 20th century.. The World famous Montreal Neurological Institute was founded by Dr. Penfield.

The Great Depression

The beginnings of the wide spread call for increased government help for medical services became very popular especially during the Great Depression when the needs of the poor were on the minds of every citizen. In 1935, the United Farmers of Canada passed a medical insurance bill in Alberta. However, it was scraped when they lost the election the following year. A year later the British Columbia government tried to enact a provincial free medical system, but could not see it through because of the objection from the doctors.

Though at the time, it was not feasible, difference provinces still saw the need for a government medical plan. The needs of the poor were always a top priority in Canada regarding access to medical care and education.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_Hospitallers_of_St._Joseph

http://www.marguerite-bourgeoys.com/en/chapel/marguerite-Bourgeoys.asp

http://www.sgm.qc.ca/sgm/anglais/a_frameset.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Osler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Canada

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/medical-cost-disability-11/slideshow-top-11-medical-expenses?ecd=wnl_day_062511