On this day, January 23, 1922, fourteen year old Canadian Leonard Thompson received the first successful insulin injection as a treatment for diabetes. Thompson, who was in a coma due to Type 1 Diabetes, was given an injection on January 11, but apparent impurities caused a sever allergic reaction. Biochemist James Collip worked to improve and purify the ox-pancreas extract. The second injection on January 23 brought the boy out of his coma and was a complete success. Prior to the development of insulin, people with Type 1 diabetes did not survive for more than a few weeks or months with the disease.
After vicious fighting and years of panic in Europe over Napoleon Bonaparte, events have finally turned against the emperor. Outnumbered and deposed, he abdicated, and was exiled to the island of Elba. As the allies bickered Napoleon plotted his return.
By September of 1944, the Western Allies had broken out of the Normandy beachehead, and suddenly and quickly moved across northern France . By September 7th, the 90th division was stretched across the northern sector on Patton’s Third Army’s left, advancing slowly northeast. As they did so the German defenders made a risky attack in an effort to spoil the allied advance, cutting through Allied lines in a surprise action at the small town of Mairy-Mannville.