Apoplexy, heart trouble, gangrene.—The walls of the tubes thicken, become brittle, and what results? A vessel in the brain breaks, and hemorrhage in the brain may cause apoplexy. A vessel may also break in the eye. The amount of blood that can pass through the narrowed tubes is too little to supply the beating heart, and pain results, called angina, or irregular heart action or even heart failure. The circulation in the legs is restricted, and pains result, and sometimes gangrene. Coma, it will be remembered, is the chief cause of death among younger diabetic patients. Coma can now be prevented and no one should die from coma. Gangrene is the chief cause of death among older patients. In gangrene, usually of the legs, the tissues lose their vitality because of lack of blood; infection follows and blood poisoning results.
Prevent gangrene.—We must prevent these deaths from gangrene. It can be done by watchfulness and attention. Keeping the urine sugar-free is the first requisite. Gangrenous ulcers of the feet can be made to heal by vigorous treatment with insulin, and diet. It is of great importance to encourage the circulation in the feet by massage and proper exercises. Finally, care in avoiding bruises and cuts of the skin of the feet will prevent much trouble. Every old diabetic patient should wash his feet daily, wear clean stockings, and very comfortable shoes. Watch and guard the feet. Achilles, the Greek hero, must have been a diabetic. The only vulnerable spot on his body was his heel. When before the walls of Troy the spear of Paris touched him on the heel, he died. Watch and guard the feet.
Transcriber’s Notes
[Page 18]: “fairly stabile” changed to “fairly stable”
[Page 25]: “like coloroform” changed to “like chloroform”
[Page 39]: “Overeating of carboydrates” changed to “Overeating of carbohydrates”
[Page 52]: “excessive carhobydrate” changed to “excessive carbohydrate”
[Page 55]: “one out of overy” changed to “one out of every” “with a diabetes” changed to “with diabetes”
[Page 56]: “be that is it may” changed to “be that as it may”
[Page 57]: “my cause apoplexy” changed to “may cause apoplexy”