H.H. Dale and the London Centre for WHO standards--some milestones of the early years.

Henry Dale, a Nobel laureate and statesman of science, helped to organize the meetings in 1923 and 1925 to set up international standards for insulin and other biologicals. He made the National Institute for Medical Research one of the two world centres for standards. Some milestones in the work of the London centre are described: (i) the first standards; (ii) vitamins and hormones; (iii) WHO standards for many antibiotics; (iv) the provision of an international working standard for ACTH; (v) the old and new methods of ampouling; (vi) the impact of research and immunoassay on the need for standards; and (vii) the special ECBS sessions for endocrinology and haematology. Dale tells how he had to preserve the first batch of insulin for use as the standard instead of for treatment.