Nutritional physiology / by Percy Goldthwait Stiles.

  • Percy Goldthwait Stiles
Date:
1931
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Nutritional physiology / by Percy Goldthwait Stiles. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    view generally held is correct. A principle of the utmost value in the control of diabetes can be derived from these cells. Because of its source it is called Insulin or Iletin. The first successful quest of such an agent was achieved by Banting, Macleod, and Best of Toronto. It had been suggested that the product might be secured from a pancreas in which the part originating the juice had been caused to atrophy. If this condition could be brought about the interference from trypsin would be avoided. The desired degeneration was induced by tying the ducts of the pancreas and keeping the animal alive for some weeks. The islands remained normal and yielded an extract having remarkable properties. It has since been found possible to prepare Insulin from glands fresh from the slaughter-house. Alcoholic extracts are used. The internal secretion of the pancreas is ineffective when taken by mouth because it is decomposed in the digestive tract. When it is injected under the skin and thus introduced into the circulation it promptly lowers the concentration of the blood-sugar. If the dose is rightly measured this will prevent the excretion of sugar in the urine. More important than this is the fact that the tissues begin to utilize dextrose in the normal way. The liver regains the power to store glycogen. The tendency to acidosis is counteracted. The reduction of blood-sugar by insulin does not necessarily stop at the normal level; if it proceeds farther marked prostration results. In the course of Insulin treatment for diabetes such reactions are warded off by eating oranges or glucose when the sensation of weakness is experienced. There is clear evidence that the cells producing insulin are under nervous government. Stimulation of the vagus nerve under carefully controlled conditions causes a drop in blood-sugar, which must be attributed to the release of the pancreatic hormone. Reference may be made to a case of extraordinary interest. (Wilder et ah, Journal of the American Medical Association, lxxxix, 1927, 348.) A man became increas-