The family physician, or, Every man his own doctor : in three parts : together with the history, causes, symptoms and treatment of Asiatic cholera, a glossary, explaining the most difficult words that occur in medical science, and a copious index and appendix / by Daniel H. Whitney.
- Whitney, Daniel H.
- Date:
- 1834
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The family physician, or, Every man his own doctor : in three parts : together with the history, causes, symptoms and treatment of Asiatic cholera, a glossary, explaining the most difficult words that occur in medical science, and a copious index and appendix / by Daniel H. Whitney. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![DIABETES. H9 stances there is a diseased state of the urine, a Ions; time before the patient takes notice of it. The most that [ have seen recorded, as having passed in twenty-four hours, is thirty- six pints ; the average quantity is twelve or fifteen pints a day, the quantity often excffefrtag the whole amount of food and drink taken. The urine is of a pale straw color with a peculiar swell, sometimes resembling sweet whey or milk, and has a saccharine (like sugar) taste; the appetite is usually greater than in health, there is uneasiness in the stomach after meals, with sour eructations, flatulence, and irregular bowels ; there is also thirst, dry skin, which is rough and parched from want of perspiration; the gums are swelled, tongue white, breath offensive, great weakness of the loins, emaciation, cold feet, pul.>e in the advanced stage, quick, feeble, irritable, and there is every mark of general exhaus- tion. This sometimes runs its course, and proves fatal in a few weeks, but it more commonly lasts for years, and ulti- mately wears out the constitution. There are a few cases of recovery recorded. Of its causes but little or nothing is known. TREATMENT. The practice in this as in most other diseases, is almost empirical, and the physician knows it; and if he does not tell the patient all that he can do, and direct him to manage it himself, he is not an honest man, and might as well take the money without the shade of an equivalent, as to take it for his attendance. This I know is taking high grounds, but I will extract the treatment verbatim et literatim from one of the most popular works now in use. [See Gregory, vol. ii. p. 402.] Astringent remedies were early resorted to, more particularly lime water, alum whey, kino, and catechu. On the supposition of diabetes being mainly a disease of de- bility, bark chalybeates, and (he mineral acids, have been extensively used. In 1776, Dr. Rollo suggested the employ- ment of animal diet, and experience has shown that it possesses an undoubted power of diminishing the quantity of urine. It will be found, however, in practice that this plan of treatment can never be rigidly enforced. Blood-letting has been tried by some practitioners, and has proved serviceable in one or two cases, but it cannot be recommended for general adoption. Cupping from the loins has been practiced with the view of diminishing the morbid excitement of the kidney. Opium is](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21163856_0123.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
