The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-03-20
By WILLIAM BRADY, M. D.

Twelve years ago, before the pa- tent on insulin had expired, I be- came convinced-and I'm still con- vinced-that vitamin B-complex, particularly B1 as 1t was then called (now called thiamine) had a good deal to do with the metabolism of carbohydrate food (starches, Su- gars) tried to make the public as well as the medical profession con- scious of this function of vitamin B1 by referring to 1t from time to time as poor mans insulin." Remember?
 Unfortunately the American Mer- ical Association at that time was championing and defending if not actually sponsoring the patenting of insulin as well as the patenting of a process for manufacturing vitamin D-although the Associa- tion's own code or principles of medical ethics specifically states (Sec. 5, Chap. I'D: Tt is equally unprofessional by ownership or con- trol of patents or copyrights either to retard or to inhfbit research, or to restrict the benefit to patients or to the public to be derived there from"
 Neverthelss a good many rec ognized medical authorities hand some scientific authorities now be- lieve that Ntamin B1 or B-complex plays an integral part in carbohy- drate metabolism and that the need for this group of VitaminS depends upon the amount of carbohydrate eaten" (The quotation is from Wohl's Dietotherapy published 1945). Of course diabetes is essentially failure or impairment of the ability or capacity to utilize (metabolize) carbohydrate.
 By calling vitami1f B-complex or Ntamin B1 (thiamine) "poor mans insulin" I do not mean to imply that anyone with diabetes may get along without insulin If he takes vitamin B. Perhaps a better name for 1t would be "everybody's insulin," by which mean that if get enough vitamin B-complex you are less likely to develop diabetes and need insulin-in my opinion. Moreover many diabetics have told me that within month or two after they have started taking adequate rations of vitamin B-complex they find it necessary to reduce their daily dose of inSulin.
 As Joslin states, fully thirty mill lion Americans are now carriers of the potentiality or tendency to de- velop diabetes. To these people par ticularly I commend vitamin B complex.
 You are training for diabetes, I believe, if you get most of your call ories from refined white flour and refined white sugar-aS SO many overweight, undernourished people do nowadays = and not getting enough B-complex to metabolize the carbohydrate.
 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 In Love With a Veteran
 Met veteran in T. B. hospital. We fell in love. He wants to marry as soon as he leaves the hospital.
 c. W)
 AnSwer-Don't think of it until you nave Lne OplLllOu ana aQVlSe O1 a physician who knows the young mans condition-you should go to- gether to consult the physician about the feasibility of marriage now. For that matter, any couple contemplating matrimony should submit any question of fitness of either candidate or of the possibility of transmitting any disease, taint or defect to a physician who is in a position to know.
 Weak Blood
 Informed by Red Cross my blood is weak, low in hemoglobin. What can I do for this? have black cir- cles under my eyes. (Miss B. F)
 Answer-A thousand and one things may cause it. Send ten cents and stamped self addressed envelope for pamphlet Blood and Health"
 xt Does Beat All
 A little bare skin doesn't seem to harm my four boys but 1t hurts the neighbors. One neighbor rec ml.m. AVA Aamm s.amA mNN t.a.s. aa am Nkhaaf