Organo-therapy : ancient and modern / [Arthur T. Davies].

  • Davies, Arthur T., 1858-1929.
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Organo-therapy : ancient and modern / [Arthur T. Davies]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    siders that the pancreatic secretion neutralises a toxic substance absorbed from the intestine through the lymph stream. Although experimental removal of the pancreas produces diabetes mellitus, it is a remarkable and interesting fact that injections of pancreatic extract, whether subcutaneous, intra¬ venous, or peritoneal, and also pancreatic feeding, have not the slightest effect in preventing the glycosuria, and clinically the same has been found to be the case. Dixon and Lepine have pub¬ lished interesting statistics on this treatment. Hector Mackenzie* has published results of two cases treated by the liquor pancreaticus with the result of general improvement, increased strength, and lessened thirst and quantity of urine, but no diminution in the sugar. Neville Wood! obtained a similar result, possibly due to pancreatic pills, but in another case a negative result. Combe J has reported a case of diabetes of eight years’ duration cured by taking pancreatic sandwiches. He con¬ siders that the internal secretion is a glycolytic ferment which renders inert circulating glycoses. Williamson§ has published an interesting table of twenty-six cases of diabetes mellitus in all of which the pancreas was examined. In eight well-marked changes were found, in four slight changes, and in five atrophy. He suggests, like Tuckett, that in these cases the glycosuria is due to the absorption of a toxic substance from the intestine which is neutralised by the internal secretion of the pancreas. Lauder Brunton, in 1874, tried raw meat for diabetes. Williamson also quotes Gilbert and Carnot, || who, in cases of diabetic extract of definite hepatic origin, advise the administration of hepatic ex¬ tract, which they consider acts by either increasing the power of the liver to store up reserves of sugar, or to cause a more rapid destruction of hydrocarbons taken as food. In 1868, Langdon- DownH published a case of fatty diarrhoea with diabetes, which he treated with the pancreatic extract with a very successful result. The fat entirely disappeared from the stools, the sugar *' Brit. Med. Jour., Jan. 14th, 1893, p. 63. f Ibid., p. 64. X Brit. Med. Jour., Epitome, 1895 (99). \ Practitioner, July, 1900, p. 68. || La Semaine Medicate, May, 10th, 1897. H “ Transactions of the Clinical Society of London,” vol. xi., 1868, p. 119.