DIABETES IN CHILDREN


Homoeopathic treatment of diabetes is at present the most effective treatment with a lower mortality rate than other methods. Insulin is of no value except as an emergency measure, supplying a deficiency only. Homoeopathic remedies will do much to stimulate reconstruction of the isles of Langerhans.


Tice states in his Practice of Medicine that it is now generally admitted dietetic therapy and the use of insulin are the only means by which we can combat diabetes mellitus. This is a rather pathetic admission, considering the well-known fact that the mortality rate is greater today than in pre-insulin days, as borne out by the following statistics from Tices own Practice of Medicine:.

Diabetes mortality is rising rapidly throughout the civilized world. In the United States the death rate per 100,000 was 11.0 in 1900 and 22.0 in 1932 there were 26,298 recorded diabetes deaths in 1932; in 1932, diabetes ranked as the ninth most common cause of death in the United States and, disregarding deaths from accidents and congenital conditions in the new-born, diabetes advances from ninth to seventh in rank. Diabetes mortality is greatest in the United States. (Vol. IX, p. 870).

Diabetes is more fatal in childhood. It might be well to state here, however, that there has been an increase in life expectancy of from 55 to 59.8.

Tices statement that the only combative means are dietetic therapy and the use of insulin is a sad commentary on the failure of the homoeopathic school to make known its mortality rate to the regular school of medicine.

My paper deals only with the homoeopathic treatment and dietetic management of diabetes mellitus, touching on diagnosis and etiology only as these subjects bear on the homoeopathic treatment and dietetics.

DIAGNOSIS.

Diagnosis is at present mostly a laboratory procedure.

HYPOGLYCEMIA AND HYPERGLYCEMIA.

Two conditions must be clearly understood in guiding us in dietetic management, as well as homoeopathic therapy.

HYPOGLYCEMIA.

First – hypoglycemia, which is a sugar content of the blood below 0.080. When the blood sugar level drops to such an extent that symptoms ensue, the hypoglycemia shock, insulin shock or insulin reaction is used to describe the condition.

The earliest manifestations of hypoglycemia are paresthesias, tingling and numbness about lips and finger tips, excessive hunger, followed by sweating, skin is pale, pupils dilated, and the patient complains of headaches. The pulse is full and bounding; gradually the patient loses muscular tone, complains of double vision, and maybe strabismus. There may be hemiplegia. The patient lapses into unconsciousness, or, more rarely, becomes excited and unmanageable.

HYPERGLYCEMIA.

Second – hyperglycemia, which exists when the blood sugar is at a level of 170 m.g. per 100 cc. or higher. This causes the following symptoms: Polyuria, polydipsia, inordinate appetite, especially for sweets, high blood sugar, emaciation, sweetish odor of the breath and, finally, coma.

DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN HYPOGLYCEMIA COMA AND HYPERGLYCEMIA COMA.

It now becomes essential to differentiate clearly between coma produced by hypoglycemia and coma produced by hyperglycemia.

In 1931 Doctor Priscilla White (physician at the New England Deaconess Hospital at Boston, Mass.) in her book entitled Diabetes In Childhood and Adolescence records two deaths in children directly attributed to hypoglycemia, wrongly treated as if it were diabetic coma. The most important clinical signs are:.

1. Rapid loss of consciousness in hypoglycemia, or insulin shock; the gradual loss of consciousness in diabetic coma.

2. The cause of insulin shock is an increase in hypoglycemia, or insulin shock, reduction of the diet, or an increase in exercise; while the cause of diabetic coma is the omission of insulin, lapse of dietary control, or an infection.

3. The skin in hypoglycemia, or insulin shock, is moist and pale; in diabetic coma the skin is dry and flushed, except in the late stages when there is pallor.

4. The breathing is normal or shallow in hypoglycemia, or insulin shock; while it is hyperapnoeic in diabetic coma.

5. The pulse in hypoglycemia, or insulin shock, is full and bounding, in spite of the appearance of collapse; the pulse in diabetic coma is weak and rapid.

6. Vomiting is exceptional in hypoglycemia, or insulin shock, an when it occurs usually follows unconsciousness; vomiting is the rule in diabetic coma and precedes unconsciousness.

7. Convulsions are the rule in hypoglycemia, or insulin shock; while convulsions occur in diabetic coma only when the patient has received alkalis.

8. Finally, examination of the urine: In hypoglycemia, or insulin shock, this will be found to be negative for sugar; while in diabetic coma the sugar content will be found high.

CARE OF DIABETIC CHILD.

The care of the diabetic child resolves itself mainly into three factors:.

First: the maintenance of the normal physiological processes of the growing and development organism.

Second: the prevention of accidents of diabetes; and.

Third: the eventual production of an individual who will be an economic and social asset.

The child must have adequate nourishment, blood sugar below 200 m.g., glycosuria less than 10 Gm. in 24 hours, and cholesterol content of the blood below 230 m.g.

DIETETICS.

Most authorities are giving much less restricted diets to children than a decade ago.

Practical type regulation has been taken for the diabetic childs diet, which I have copied directly from Dr. Priscilla Whites book. This seems to be a most practical application of dietetic principles.

No. cal.

Age of C. P. F. Cal. Wt. per.

Cases kg. kg.

1 1 72 39 47 867 8 108

2 5 78 41 69 1097 15 72

3 12 71 43 63 1023 14 72

4 20 81 47 69 1133 16 70

5 24 90 50 74 1226 16 76

6 13 103 57 76 1324 19 69

7 8 93 56 93 1433 18 72

8 8 109 57 84 1420 21 82

9 12 92 61 90 1422 25 64

10 13 116 59 89 1501 28 53

11 14 108 65 95 1547 29 53

12 14 109 68 110 1698 34 49

13 16 106 69 108 1672 37 43

14 18 119 73 115 1803 43 40

15 14 108 76 129 1897 45 40.

Caloric requirement cannot be arbitrarily fixed by the age of the patient, as each child will have to be individualized on the basis of relative metabolic efficiency, activity, height and weight. Caloric intake must be increased 5 to 10 per cent every six months to produce a normal increase in height of about 2 inches, and in weight of about 6 pounds.

The diabetic child should never be restricted as to exercise and should be allowed to work and play with his normal brothers and sisters. This will more readily enable him to build up a greater carbohydrate assimilation, which should be increased as rapidly as tolerance permits.

HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT.

Statistics of homoeopathic treatment, as compared to the regular school treatment, will show the same greatly reduced mortality as proven in many other chronic diseases. The results of my personal experience in treating diabetic patients which homoeopathic remedies has been far superior to the usual insulin treatment. Most of the patients coming to me have become discouraged from the hopeless outlook of a life of insulin administration. Complete examination has been made with careful recording of the symptoms, and this is followed by repertorial work.

The remedies described below are a few of the most important, although any remedy which proves to be the similar drug may cure the patient. Case taking is begun with the mental symptoms, followed by a complete examination of all objective and subjective conditions. It has not been practical nor possible to immediately discontinue insulin, but the dose has been decreased each week as the homoeopathic remedy takes hold until insulin is entirely eliminated. The time necessary for insulin elimination has varied from a few weeks to several months. Patients bring weekly reports of glycosuria which have been made daily. Blood sugar reports are recorded every thirty to sixty days.

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES.

ACETIC ACID.

This drug produces a condition of profound anaemia, great debility, profuse urination and sweat, dyspnoea. Especially indicated in pale, persons, with lax, flabby muscles.

FACE: pale, waxen, emaciated.

STOMACH: Salivation. Fermentation in stomach. Intense burning thirst. Cold drinks distress. Vomits after every kind of food. Epigastric tenderness. Burning pain as of an ulcer. Sour belching. Burning waterbrash and profuse salivation. Hyperchlorhydria. Violent burning pain in stomach and chest, followed by coldness of skin and cold sweat on forehead. Stomach feels as if she had taken a lot of vinegar.

URINE: Large quantities of pale urine; with great thirst and debility.

ARGENTUM NITRICUM.

Very characteristic is the great desire for sweets.

STOMACH: belching accompanies most gastric ailments. Nausea, retching, vomiting of glairy mucus; burning and constriction; trembling and throbbing in stomach. Enormous distention. Desire for cheese and salt.

MODALITIES; Worse, warmth in any form; at night; from cold food; sweets; after eating; at menstrual period; from emotions; left side. Better, from eructation; fresh air; cold; pressure.

CHIONANTHUS.

MOUTH: dry sensation not relieved by water, also profuse saliva.

ABDOMEN AND LIVER: aching in umbilical region, griping. Reels as if a string were tied in a “slip-knot” around intestines which was suddenly drawn tight and then gradually loosened. Sore; also soft, yellow and pasty. Tongue heavily coated. No appetite. Hepatic region tender. Pancreatic disease and other glandular disorders.

C.P.Bryant
C. P. BRYANT, M. D.
Seattle.
Chairman, Bureau of Surgery