Abstract
The rise in blood sugar following the discontinuation of insulin administered to an anorexia case suggested that a temporary hyperglycemia and even a glycosuria might be induced in this way in non-diabetic subjects. Accordingly, 5 other non-diabetic patients were given insulin, starting with Units V before, each meal, and the dosage increased at intervals of a few days until one patient was receiving Units XVII and another Units XXV 3 times a day. The injections were given 15 to 30 minutes before meals. Blood sugars 2 hr. after meals were usually normal, sometimes above normal. Hypoglycemic symptoms were rarely encountered. Upon discontinuation of the insulin all of these patients showed a hyperglycemia and 4 of them a temporary glycosuria. Glucose tolerance curves were done on 3 of the 6 patients and showed a diminished tolerance, even in one case where there was failure to produce a glycosuria.
For example, a female patient, age 34 years, entered the University Hospital June 2, 1932, following a pleurisy with effusion; she had lost weight and her appetite was poor. On June 4 a 50 gm. sugar tolerance test was normal, fasting blood sugar was 87 mg., the maximum at the half hour was 159 mg. Insulin was started at noon on this day with an initial dosage of Units V 3 times a day with the patient on a general diet. A second glucose tolerance test was done June 18 when the patient was receiving Units X 3 times a day; blood sugar reached a maximum of 231 mg. after 1 hr. The patient had been receiving insulin Units XXV 3 times a day on July 10 and insulin was discontinued the following day.
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