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Anatomy of a Scientific Discovery

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Anatomy of a Scientific Discovery by Jeff Goldberg published by Bantam Books, 1989

Reviewed by w. P. Palmer

The subtitle of this book which is 'The race to discover the secret of human pain and pleasure' perhaps gives the reader a little more idea of what the book is about. The front cover also informs us that 'The New Yorker' thought the book was 'fascinating'. I am interested in the underlying themes of the book that relate to the place of serendipity in scientific discovery and also to the human characteristics and values of scientists who make discoveries. The review will attempt to assess how far the book was able to satisfy these interests.

The story starts in 1973 at an obscure medical school in Aberdeen, Scotland and describes the work of two biochemical researchers there. One was John Hughes who was then busy visiting local slaughter houses collecting huge quantities of pigs brains from which he was mak¬ing a thick soup from which he hoped to extract a naturally occurring `morphine'. The other researcher was the elderly (then 71 years old) Hans Kosterlitz, who was the director of an independent unit for the study of addictive drugs and somewhat of a character. This rather unlikely duo succeeded with the help of a variety of other specialists by October 1975 in producing and in finding the structure of two enkephalins. This story is complicated by the explanations of how other research laboratories, better financed and equipped, were going in the race to produce endorphins and the lucky breaks that the Aberdonians had in reaching their goal. That story takes up the first half of the book.

The second half becomes considerably more complicated as initially there were perhaps a dozen or so pure scientists interested in this area. At this stage the major drug companies became interested and by 1983 at the end of the period covered by the book, the research area has about 1200 interested scientists. A whole range of science issues arise naturally from the book, particularly those involved with the ethics of scientific research. For example, the question of credit for research in terms of reputation and prizes. At several points it is this search for individual fame that appears to be the main motivation behind the scientist's work. There is further evidence that the work of some female investigators did not receive sufficient credit.

There are questions of ethics at some points at what might seem excessive cruelty to animals. Overall the book provides a good case study of scientific research undergoing a paradigm shift, with brilliant individual scientists producing a few isolated substances with limited practical uses, expanding into the synthesis and production of a whole family of compounds with a multiplicity of medical applications. Yes the book provided me with plenty of food for thought, though the style is somewhat journalistic, though many may find that an attractive feature.
BILL PALMER
Originally published in STANT Magazine, October/ November, 1994, p. 19.

I read this book many years ago, and life scineces have become much more sophisticated since then, but it's a very readable story of the ups, downs, and general quirkness of scientific discovery.