DR BANTING ON INSULIN

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1923, Page 4

DR BANTING ON INSULIN

STILL IN STAGE OF EXPERIMENT

I.ONDOX. July 20.

A warning to the public and the medical profession that the discoveiv of insulin should not he regarded as the last word in the treatment of diabetes, and a prophecy that the day is not far distant when the cause ol cancer will he revealed, were features of tH> discussions yesterday in the scientific sections of the British Aledical Association coiileroiuo at Portsmouth. Dr F. G. Banting, of Toronto, the discoverer of insulin in scrum prepared from the pancreas of catlK' and slieepl, took part in the discussion, and told in carefully worded, scientific language the story oi his struggles, his experiments, and ultimate tiiumph.

He admitted that insulin was in an experimental stage, hut claimed that ii has been definitely established that in proper doses it reduces sugar in the blood to the normal or sub-normal. stir Thomas llordcr. while describing insulin as possibly the greatest coutrihitlioti yet made to tin 1 si inly oi diabetes, said they had to consider whether it was regarded as a remedy or an incentive to further inquiry.

“Il is notoriously difficult to control popular ideas about new remedies, he said. The very fact that such epochmarking events ns the discovery of insulin are rare takes popular credence further than the facts justify, and certainly farther than the discoverer claims, and when the disease is a common one. as diabetes is, the public is on the tip-toe of expectation as soon as ever a preliminary announcement is made of a remedy which promises specific re-ults, and the problem is regarded as living already solved. Certain cases of diabetes benefit much less by insulin than others, certain eases will doubtless la- found not to lie benefited at all If we do mil make that position clear, we v. ill see many patient s suffer the hitter Xeinosis of disappointment after entertaining a fal.-e hone for which doctors may quite unwillingly have been partially responsible.”

In the discussion on earner Air Her bori J. Paterson, a London specialist set himself in answer the question

‘ Are tiie results of the operative treatment of malignant disease belter than twenty years ago:’' Operations to-day he described as .more extensive, ami patients did not go to surgeons as early as formerly, lie advocated operation.in two -fages, and said :

"I think we- iniisl recognise that extensive operations in advanced cases confer no benefit. if indeed they do not do harm. Although evidence is lacking that the ultimate resulL of operations lor cancer are hotter than they were some twenty years ago, I see no ground for pessimism. The day cannot he very far distant when the cause of cancer will he revealed, and we shall •stand on surer ground in fighting ii. In the present state of knowledge oarly operations is the only hope, and if we can impress that, upon the public it is not too much to expect that a very large proportion of sufferers can he cured by operative treatment. The fight bus long and arduous, hut victory is in sight.”

Mr Neville Chamberlain, in reply (u a suggestion in the House of Commons yesterday that the Ministry of Health should lake steps to control the source of supply of insulin to enable diabetic sulterers to obtain the treatment at a lower cost, said the price of insulin had been reduced already vory maierially, and he had very good hopes that it would be reduced still furfhor