Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-11-16
GLUCOSE.
HealSh Commissioner Edison, Of
New York, Makes an Official
Statement Showing It's Harm
lessnesS.
(Copy.)
HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
CITY OLE NEM NnRK Oct IL. lQ-

O4AA VI new L OhA, Wv - - }
Hon. Thomas F. Gilroy, Mayor, Ne,O York
City:
SIR:-l have the honor to acknowl-
! edge your communication relative TO the
wholesomeness Of glucose as an article
OF food. This question is best answered
in report made by the committee ap-
! pointed by the National Academy OF
Science at the request OF the United
/ States Commissioner Of Internal Reve-
| nue., in 1889. This committee consisted
OF Professors Charles +. Chandler, q. f.
BarkerrW NJ. Brewer, Wolcott Gibbs
and Ira RemSeD. These eminent Seien-
lists made an exhaustive investigation
of the subject. Based upon their re-
searches they arrived at the following
conclusion:
That starch sugar is in no way In
ferior 10 cane sugar In healthfulness,
there being no evidence before the COM
mittee that maize starch sugar (glu-
cosc), either in It's normal condition or
fermented, has any deleteriouS effect
upon the system, even If taken Ia large
quantities..
The opinion is so sound and so we'll
founded that the light OF science Of to-
day, twelve years later, has only served
to show its wisdom more clearly. l
understand it has been alleged that
glucose or starch sugar is liable 10
cause diabetes. This 5 not true, and is
based upon a mistaken knowledge both
of glucose and the disease diabetes. In
addition to certain nervous varie-
ties, due solely TO disturbed
nerve functions, diabetes is divided
by the best authorities Into classes, OF
which the one is due TO excessive sugar
formation in the blood. aud the other TO
diseased digestion, which prevents
sugar from entering the circulation In
the condition TO be utilized by the sys-
ten. The first of these classes is caused
by disease of the liver; the second. by
disease OF the pancreas. The latter form
is by far the most dangerous and rapidly
fatal. The former variety, on the other
hand. may last many years. 10 neither
OF these varieties can the indigestion OF
glucose, under any circumstances, be
considered a cause Of the disease, and
know Of no authority who attributes to
glucose such an effect.
II is true that In the liver variety OF
diabetes glucose does harm, but so also
does starch or sugar in any form.
Starch cannot be used by the human
system until after the digestive organs
convert or changei il into glucose; conse-
Quently, If glucose is condemned as
causing diabetes, potatoes and other
starchy food must also be condemned,
for they must become glucose before
10 a.
toes is TO consume glucose, to eat
bread is TO consume glucose. Honey Is
but another form of glucose. Glucose
is the basis of multitude OF infant
foods. Malt is but practically another
form OF glucose. A health officer who
condemns glucose cannot consistently
fail to condemn bread potatoes, malt,
honey and most of the infant foods now
on the market. This is 'TcdUcttO al
dbsuTdum."
In the form Of diabetes, due to dis.
ease of the pancreas, the highest au-
thorities advise the administration OF
glucose for the amelioration of the dis
ease Kulz. an eminent German ply
stefan, recommends a starch sugar
called laevulose, which is the exact
analogue of diabetc glucose (Interna-
ton Medical Annual, 1894, page 17S).
An excessive amount Of glucose, or cane
sugar, or of Starchy foods taken into
the aystem may, of course, appear in
the urine; so, also, may an excessive
amount of albuminous food, but THESE
phenomena are physiological and not
disease.
Glucose may justly be called pre-di-
gested starch, since, as | have said, ii is
starch in the exact condition that we
lind it prepared by the digestive organs
for assimilation. Glucose Is pre-emi-
nently a fat.forming, heat-prod ucing
food. Under diet Of glucose, a man
can perform more muscular work than
under any other single article Of food.
Glucose not only Is not injurious, but II
is an essential article OF food without
which in sons FORM mau cannot enjoy
Life.
Chemistry has shown men how to i'm
itate exactly the products Of nature.
The honey Of the flower and numerous
other products of natures laboratory
can not only be initiated by man, but
exactly reproduced by him through the
agency Of chemistry. 1t seems pity
that we should, instead Of welcoming
such glorious results OF science, receive
them with distrust and suspicion.
Your respectfully,
CYRUS Epson,
Commissioner OF Health.
(CleUCldRd Putin DedJcf.)