The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-22
HOPKINS EXPERT
 ASSERTS |NSUL|N NOT DISEASE CURE
New Remedy For Diabetes Only Relieves Suffering.
 From Sickness

BALTIMORE, July 21.-(By Asso- ciated Press. )-Insulin, the new rem edy for diabetes, is not to be consid- cred in any sense as 8 cure for that disease. and it is not of such nature a to obviate the necessity of care full diet for all persons undergoing the sG-called insulin treatment. These statements are made by Dr. William $. McCann, associate pro- lessor in Johns Hopkins Medical school and associate physician of Johns Hopkins hospital, under whose care severe cases of diabetes are being given the insulin treatment at the hospital.
 Doctors Statement.
 pr. McCann says:
 'Tnsulin is not cure. It is, how ever, in our experience specific remedy fer diabetes, which has al ready saved many lives and has alle- Viated much suffering from the dis ease. It's effects are only temporary leaving the Fundamental condition of the disease unchanged. The discov- erer of insulin, pr. Banting, has al- ways been very careful not to make the claim that insulin cures diabetes. The manufacturers, Eli Yilly & Co.,, in the advertising matter on insulin, are likewise careful not to make this extravagant claim. Never before has a great medical discovery been given to the world with more un- selfishness on the part Lf its au- thor, or by more ethical manufac- turers. The most that can be said for insulin is that it is a specific remedy for diabetes which restores the metabolism to normal as long as the treatment is continued. In some cases the beneficial effects may con- tinue for short period after discon- tinuing the treatment. Sooner or later the patients always return to the condition preceding the treat ment. The publications of all the men who have subjected insulin to scientific study emphasize the fact that accurate control of the diet is more necessary with insulin than without it. The reason for this is twofold. A given dose of insulin will cause the proper utilization of & fairly definite amount of food. If more food is taken than the dose of insulin provides for, the patient will have sugar in the urine again. so that some of the good effects of the treatment will have been nulli- fled. On the other hand, an over dose of insulin may kill the patient 1 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 i'm sure that there will be the right amount of food taken to balance the dose of insulin given. The patient who takes insulin is given liberal diet, but the diet must be accurately measured, and the patient must take all that ia UreScrib ed,
 O O o
 Many Suffer From Disease.
 "Estimates of the number of suf- | ferers from diabetes vary from half million to a million in America. Many of these people have hte dis ease in a very mild form, 50 that it is detected accidentally in the insur- ance examinations. Such people may go for years before serious conse- 1 uuences of the disease become ap- parent. Others have mild form, which responds readily to very mod crate reduction of the diet These people do not need insulin unless 1t ! be at times when 1t is necessary to | tide them over emergencies, such as surgical operations. infectious dis eases, etc. From 75 to 90 per cent | of all cases of diabetes can be con trolled satisfactorily by proper diet ing without impairing the patients s | efficiency and without undue suffer 1 ing from restriction of food. For the 10 to 20 per cent who have the disease in a more severe form, in- sulin Is a godsend but 1t is not q cure. and accurate control of the diet must still be maintained"