Evening star., 1961-07-21
Stop
Killing
Yourself
By PETER j. STEINcRoHN

4hC4C 10 AlO o11OI CuI al OI1C
care of diabetes.
IN SPITE OF the newer
oral drugs which help some
diabetes to live with their
illness, insulin and proper
diet are still the mainstay Of
treatment. Diabetes can live
out a normal span Of life
only if they follow their
doctors advice and Coop
crate fully. Here is a sad letter
from the wife of a diabetic
who actually committed slow
suicide:
Dear DR.. Steincrohn: read
your column about the nurse
who asked your advice about
her friend who was a diabetic
but wouldn't take care of him.
self. I thought I would tell
you, and readers with sim
liar problems, about my hus-
band. He was a diabetic 10
years and died at the age Of
40 because he would not take
care of himself. He kept say
ing diabetes won't get the
best of me-"
My husband ate what he
wanted. He drank both beer
and whisky. He said he was
going to live as he wanted to.
He would go for a blood sugar
checkup; and the night be-
fore he was to go, he would
take extra insulin so that
his blood sugal would be nor
NAL. (He thought he was
fooling the doctor but he was
only killing himself.)
The year before he died he
could hardly walk. He be-
came frightened and tried to
get the doctor to help him,
but it was too late. I have
seen a diabetic in the worst
way: Insulin reactions, comas,
and convulsions. I could tell
you so much more of my life
with a diabetic who lived as
he wanted to-but died long
before he should.
I sincerely hope that this
letter, which was so hard to
write. will be of some help
to prolong the life of some
stubborn man or woman who
thinks that doctors keep say
ing Don't do this-or that"
simply because they like to
hear themselves talk.-Mrs.
S., Miami.
Dear DR.. Steincrohn: I
am 50-years-old and have
been married 81 years. I have
a son 20 years old. When he
was a baby my doctor gave
me a metabolism test and
put me on thyroid pills and
said I would have to take
them for the rest of my life.
They certainly made me feel
better.
We lost our family doctor
in 1949; in 1855 I went to a
new doctor. He said I was
going through menopause. I
asked him about taking thy
roid and whether I needed q
metabolism test. He said I
didn't need a test and that I
could stop the thyroid. I feel
well and hesitate to stop the
medicine. What do you sug-
gest:-Mrs. T., Arizona.
IF YOU TELL HIM how
unhappy you are not know
ing just how well your thy
roid is functioning, I'm sure
he won't refuse to order q
metabolism test or a protine-
bound iodine examination.
With your history of thyroid
trouble, I think it will be
good medicine all around to
recheck.
4 = 4
Dear DR.. Steincrohn: I have
been trying to avoid rich and
fatty foods. particularly ice
cream and certain cheeses.
AS a substitute, I have been
eating more gelatin than us
ual, either plain or with fruit
and vegetables. My wife MAIN
tains that gelatin also should
be avoided since its rather
hard. jelly-like quality tends
to clog a persons arteries.
Is there any medical evidence
to support this view?-Mr.
S., Michigan.
I HAVEN'T come across
any such evidence. But don't
go overheard with any one
food. The borderline between
sensible eatine and diet-fad-
dism is often q narrow one.