New Britain herald., 1923-07-20
SAYS INSULIN ONLY
RELIEVES DIABETES
DR.. Mccain States That It Is Not
a Cure for the Disease

Baltimore, July 20.--Insulin, the
new remedy for diabetes, is not to be
considered in any sense as a cure for
that disease, and 1t is not of such ma
tpre as to obviate the necessity of
careful diet for all persons under
going the so-called insulin treatment.
These statements are made by DR..
William S. Mccain, associate profess
sor in John Hopkins Medical school
and associate physician Of Johns Hop
kfno hospital, under whose care Sc
vtre cases Of diabetes are being given
the insulin treatment at tie hospital.
DR.. MeCrann says:
Not a Cure
"1nsulin is not a cure. 1t is, how
ever, in our experience a specific rem
cay for diabetes. which has already
saved many lives and has alleviatsd
much suffering from the disease. It's
effects are only temporary, leaving
the fundamental condition of the di-
sease unchanged. The discoverer Of
insulin, DR.. Banting, has always been
very careful not to make the claim
that insulin cures diabetes. The
manufacturers, Eli Lilly and Co., in
the advertising matter on insulin. are
likewise careful not to make this ex-
traVagant claim. Never before has a
great medical discovery been given to
the world with more unselhshness on
the part of its author. or by more
ethical manufacturers. The most that
can be said for insulin Is that 1t is a
specific remedy for diabetes which re-
stores the metabolism to normal as
long as the treatment is continued.
In some cases the beneficial effects
may continue for short period after
disseminating the treatment. Sooner
or later the patients always return to
the condition preceding the treatment
unless It Is resumed.
Careless Statements
"A great dial of harm can arise
from careless statements in the press
to the effect that diet can be neglect
ed during insulin treatment. The
publications Of all the men who have |
subjected insulin to scientific study |
emphasize the fact that accurate con-
troll OF the diet is more necessary with
insulin than without 1t. The reason
for this is twofold A given dose OF
insulin will cause the proper utiliza-
ton of fairly definite amount of
food. If more food is taken than the
dose Of insulin provides for, the pa
tient will have sugar in the urine
again, so that some of the good eff
fects Of the treatment will have been
nullified. On the other hand, an over
dose of insulin may kill the patient
by reducing the sugar of the blood
below that which is necessary for
life. This means that the diet of the
patient must be measured SO as to in
sure that there will be the right
amount of food taken to to balance
the does of insulin given. The patient
who takes insulin is given a liberal
diet, but the diet must be accurately
measured, and the patient must take
all that Is prescribed.
TT Number of Sufferers
Estimates OF the number of suffer-
crs from diabetes vary from half a
million to a million In America. Many
of these people have the disease in a
very mild form. so that it is detected
accidentally in life insurance exam
nations. Such people may 60 for
years before serious consequences of
the disease become apparent. Others
have mild form, which responds
readily to very moderate reduction of
the diet, These people do@not need
insulin unless it be at times when 1t
Is necessary to tide them over emer-
gencies, such as surgical operations.
infectious diseases etc. From rs to
80 per cent of all cases of diabetes
can be controlled satisfactorily by
proper dieting, without impairing the
efficiency and without I'M
due suffering from restriction Of food.
For the ten to 20 per cent who have
the disease in a more severe fhrm. ,
|nsulin is a Godsend, but is not cure, ..
and acurate control of the diet must ,
I. t,{, t,a