Insulin Treatment Of Diabetes Mellitus Research Articles

DIABETES MELLITUS

One of the striking features of the insulin treatment for diabetes mellitus is the uniformity with which even the most severe forms respond to the injections of insulin. From time to time, however, cases have been reported that seem relatively refractory to insulin. Some of them are more refractory than others, but none of them compare, in this respect, with a case we recently observed. Charlton 1 reported a patient with severe diabetes who, on a restricted diet, did not respond to 102 units of insulin. The patient was syphilitic, and after a course of antisyphilitic treatment responded readily to injections of insulin. Mahler and Pasterny 2 reported a case of diabetes mellitus in which a hypophysial tumor was present. Sixty units of insulin produced practically no effect on blood sugar or glycosuria but did produce a marked hydremia. Charles and Clarac 3 observed a case of diabetes mellitus in which a hypophysial

THE INSULIN CONTROL OF DIABETES MELLITUS AND ITS COMPLICATIONS*

The insulin treatment of diabetes mellitus made possible through the discovery of Banting and his associates, including Macleod, Best, Collip and others of the University of Toronto, occupies the center of attention in the medical world today. Joslin writes in a recent article, “The contribution of Banting and Best to the treatment of diabetes is greater than I ever expected to witness.” All diabetic specialists, including Allen, Joslin and Woodyatt have incorporated insulin into their treatments and can confirm the original conclusions of the Toronto group that with the use of insulin even the most severe diabetics can be restored to health and strength. In our discussion of the insulin treatment of diabetes mellitus, it must again be emphasized that it is not a cure for the disease. This fact, however, does not detract from the marvelous importance of insulin. The low calory diets which were formerly used in the treatment