Abstract
Experiments have been reported by Beebe and Van Alstyne showing that withdrawal of carbohydrates from the diet of white rats markedly inhibits the “taking” and rate of growth of transplantable malignant tumors in these animals. Cremer and Lockhead have recently shown that carbohydrate is utilized in the growth of tumor tissue in experimental tumor rats. As a development of the idea that utilization of glucose plays an important rôle in the synthesis of new protoplasm, we have carried out experiments upon rats planted with the “Buffalo sarcoma” in which the animals were placed upon a carbohydrate-free diet, and at the same time rendered diabetic through the injection of 0.2 gram doses of phlorhizin in olive oil once in two or three days.
As a brief summary of our results in this connection it may be stated that we have worked with about forty rats in all, so far, and that the results are so striking and constant as to warrant a positive statement that the production of the complete diabetes in experimental sarcoma rats is followed by retrogression and ultimate cure of the growth in every case where the growth at the
time of beginning of the treatment does not exceed 20 by 25 millimeters, and the animal will survive the treatment for a period of at least ten days. In every case where the animal lives for three days a marked effect upon the growth is to be noted. Small growths show no local reaction, but begin to retrogress at once, while in very large growths there is rapid development of local inflammation and softening. Small growths go on to complete cure, while with large growths the death of the animal most frequently occurs before much of the growth has been absorbed.
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