The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-11
THE CURE OF DIABETES Ny H. ADDINGTON BRUCE

I have been urged by a medical friend to help correct the unfortunately mistaken pop ular belief that a positive cure has at last been found for the dread disease diabetes. That this belief exists is not surprising, in view of the brilliant results nowadays ob- tained in diahetic cases by the use of glu- cokinin, intarvin, and, more particularly, in- sulin. It is insulin which people commonly have in mind when they speak of the cure, of diabetes If insulin really were a cure the condition responsible for diabetes would be permanently corrected by taking insulin in certain amounts for a certain period of time. It would then be no longer necessary to take insulin.
 But the fact is that insuln simply serves, so to speak, as crutch to enable the diabetic to carry on. And it is erutch which, at least until medical science knows more than at present regarding the management of dia- betes, can never be dispensed with by the patient using it.
 As was recently stated by Dr. Shields War ren "The important and peculiar feature of insulin is that it is not a medicine which can be taken few days, weeks, or months, and then cure the disease. Insulin must be taken as long as the diabetic condition lasts
 which is the same as saying as long as the patient lives."
 Thanks to insulin however. it is possible to prolpng the life-span of the diabetic. as was not possible in earlier days. Even patients in an advanced stage may by it's use be rescued from what formerly was certain death. Thereafter, by a careful adjusting of diet and insaiin tiosake, they gan get along cidentAl advantages of insulin. It was only a few days ago that Dr. W. D. Swan, of Cam bridge, Mass, told me of the use of insulin in surgical case wherein a diabetic patient suffered from gall stones.
 Ordinarily, to operate in such a case would | .I- D., swx.,x ls., kse risk was obviated the patient made a sue cessful recovery from the gallstone opera tion, and is now is improving as regards his diabetes. It should, perhaps be added that in all cases where the use of insulin is found desitable or necessary-and not all diahetics need mathematical supervision of the diet, should be maintained. OF this point that eminent diabetes specialist. Dr. Elliott F., Joslin, of Boston, is especially emphatic.
 'sThere is no value in using insulin unless you ase the diet with it." he recently told a medical audience. "Insulin must be com bined With the diet to be of service; other wise it is wasted and the patient placed in danger. When the insulin is given it should be followed within half an hour by meal containing carbohydrate. Little by little one can determine how much carbohydrate can be allowed the patient. Along with the enc can give protein and fat sufficient for body needs. Prior to the introduction of insulin we could give only very small quantities of carbohydrate to diabetic patients, because sugar would appear in the urine. With the small quantities allowed it was dangerous to give much protein and fat for fear of acid poisoning. With insulin sufficient carbohy- drate can be given so that if patient intelli- gently follows his diet he can receive enough protein to maintain health and strength
 This quotation clearly brings out the pe- culiAr vnluA of inzuliu n fha diahatie-a value 50 great that, albeit insuin cannot be rated as cure, it is easy to understand why the Nobel Prize was awarded to insulins discoyerers.