62 "Tre Storie di Diabete." Gior. internaz. d. sc. med., Nap., 1882, N. S. iv. 913-917.
63 "Sur l'action du iodoforme dans la diabète sucre," Arch. ital. de biol., Turin, Feb., 1883, iii. 317-321.
64 "Iodoforme dans le diabète," La France Méd., October, 1883, ii. 567.
65 Archives of Medicine, April, 1884, p. 116.
Transfusion of blood has been recommended by Dieulafoy,66 and is approved of by Ralfe,67 especially to combat the symptoms of acetonæmia, which, if due to a toxic agent, as seems most likely, should be met by altering the percentage composition of the blood with relation to the toxic agent.
66 "Étude sur la Transfusion du Sang dans le diabète sucre," Bullétin et Mém. Soc. Méd. de Hôp. de Paris, 1884, 4, S. 1, 38, 41.
67 "Discussion before the Path. Soc. of London," Lancet, Apr. 7, 1883, p. 592.
Diabetic neuralgia yields generally to the treatment of the disease in general correspondingly to the reduction in the quantity of sugar, and at times to salicylate of sodium, while it does not respond to morphia or other remedies for ordinary neuralgia.
The alkalies, which attained some reputation after Mialhe claimed for them the power of destroying sugar in the blood and of neutralizing the fatty acids which were thought to accumulate there in consequence of the deficient action of the skin, are not often used at the present day. Potassium carbonate was the favorite preparation, and in the hands of Pavy its use seems to have been followed by good results. He gave it in 10, 15, and 20 grain doses in combination with aromatic spirit of ammonia. Sodium bicarbonate was less satisfactory, as were also potassium acetate, potassium citrate, and Rochelle salts. These were given in doses of from four drachms to an ounce daily. In Germany, too, the alkaline treatment has been used to some extent.
As is the case with so many diseases which are incurable by any special treatment, a large number of remedies have at different times been suggested for diabetes, mostly on a foundation which does not admit of close analysis. One of these was the nitrate of uranium, suggested by Dale of Lemont, Pennsylvania, who gave it in doses of 1 grain three times daily, increased to 3 if necessary, in pill, powder, or solution, by aid of a few drops of nitric acid. He appears, however, to have used it in connection with a selected diet. I have tried it both with and without a selected diet; in the latter case there was no effect, and in the former there was none which the diet alone would not have produced.