Wilbur R. Franks

Wilbur R. Franks was a Canadian scientist and inventor who is credited with inventing the G-suit, a device that prevents pilots from losing consciousness due to high gravitational forces. He also made significant contributions to cancer research and aerospace medicine. He was born in Weston, Ontario, on March 4, 1901, to George and Gertrude Bull. He had a difficult childhood, as his family faced financial and personal troubles. He developed an interest in science and poetry, and published his first poem at the age of 17. He graduated in medicine from the University of Toronto in 1928, and joined the Banting and Best Medical Research Institute, where he worked under Frederick Banting, the co-discoverer of insulin. Franks's main research focus was on cancer, and he studied the effects of radiation and hormones on tumor growth. He also experimented with various methods of delivering drugs to cancer cells, such as using magnetic fields, ultrasound, and electric currents. He published over 100 papers and received several patents for his inventions. He also collaborated with other scientists and institutions, such as the National Research Council of Canada, the University of Rochester, and the Mayo Clinic. ¹ Franks's most famous invention was the G-suit, also known as the Franks Flying Suit, which he developed during World War II. He was inspired by his observation of how wasps made their nests from chewed wood, and he applied the same principle to create a suit that would fill with fluid and compress the pilot's body when subjected to high G-forces. He tested his prototype on himself, using a human centrifuge that he built in his laboratory. He demonstrated that his suit could prevent blackouts and improve the performance of pilots. He also showed that his suit could be used for other purposes, such as preventing shock, hemorrhage, and edema. He received an Order of the British Empire and a Legion of Merit for his invention, which was used by Allied pilots and later by astronauts and cosmonauts. ¹ Franks died of a stroke in Toronto, Ontario, on January 4, 1986, at the age of 84. He was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. He is widely regarded as a pioneer and a benefactor of humanity, and his name is commemorated in several awards, buildings, and monuments. He was inducted into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame, the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, and the International Space Hall of Fame. ¹