Understanding the body and disease process Blood

The Vital Flow: Blood is a liquid medium that delivers nutrients and oxygen to our cells and transports waste products away from those same cells. It comprises white and red blood cells, platelets and other important clotting factors suspended in plasma.

Lab worker holding blood sample Surgeon
  1. 1930

  2. 1930

    Charles Best joined the newly established Banting and Best Medical Research Department

  3. 1940

  4. 1940

    The rhesus (Rh) blood group system was discovered

  5. 1944

    Maud Menten investigated the behaviour of proteins in response to electric fields

  6. 1944

    With a grant from the Canadian National Research Council, Bruce Chown established the Winnipeg Rh Laboratory

  7. 1950

  8. 1956

    Upon returning to Canada from graduate studies, Fraser Mustard became a research fellow in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto

  9. 1960

  10. 1968

    Rh immunoglobulin was licensed for use in Canada

  11. 1970

  12. 1972

    Dr. Jack Hirsh published “A Prospective study of the value of monitoring heparin treatment with the activated partial thromboplastin time” in the New England Journal of Medicine

  13. 1974

    “Arteriovenous shunt thrombosis: Prevention of sulfinpyrazone” by Dr. Hirsh and his colleagues was published in the New England Journal of Medicine

  14. 1980

  15. 1981

    David Jenkins and colleagues introduce concept of glycemic index (GI)

  16. 1984

    In another ground-breaking article, Dr. Hirsh and his team demonstrated that LMWH reduced the post-operative frequency of venous thrombosis by a margin of 70%

  17. 1990

  18. 1990

    Dr. Hirsh continued research on LMWH

  19. 1994

    Dr. Hirsh became Vice-President of Vascular Therapeutic Inc.

  20. 2000

  21. 2010

  22. 2020

About the CMHF

The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (CMHF) celebrates Canadian heroes whose work advances health in Canada and the world, fostering future generations of health professionals through the delivery of local and national youth education programs and awards.

This enduring tribute to our country’s rich medical history is showcased here and in our physical exhibit hall in London, ON.