History of diabetes

Human records of diabetic conditions have persisted since many centuries past. Following is a brief timeline of diabetic history.

In 1552 B.C, an Egyptian papyrus dated to the third dynasty made the first written mention of diabetes. In the writings of physician Hesy-Ra, the disease is described to have frequent urination as a possible symptom. In the year 164 A.D, Galen of Pergamum conjectured that diabetes was a problem caused by an ailment of the kidneys, causing misinformation to cloud the collective understanding of the disease. One interesting thing to note is that up until the 11th century, diabetes was often diagnosed by people known as “water tasters”, who drank urine samples from those who questioned whether or not they had diabetes. The urine of diabetics contains a higher amount of sugar, which helped the water tasters to determine a person’s diabetic state. In the 1500s, a man known as Paracelsus re-diagnosed the problem of diabetes as a general medical condition, clearing up much confusion about the ailment. It wasn’t until the early 1800s that a chemical test was constructed that could accurately determine the presence of sugar in urine, creating an easier form of identification for those with diabetes.

A French physician by the name of Bouchardat made an important discovery about diabetes in the 1870s. He realized that the blood sugar levels of those who were subject to food rationing due to the Franco-Prussian war had lower blood sugar levels than those who were not rationed. To this end, he established that diet was a key factor in the health of patients with diabetes. 1869 heralded another important discovery about diabetes. A German student of medicine known as Paul Langerhans asserted that the pancreas was the creator of two types of cells: pancreatic fluid and another unknown substance, which was referred to as the “islets of Langerhans”. This substance was not effectively known until the summer of 1921, when a dog with a removed pancreas received insulin shots to successfully help it cope with the lack of insulin-producing cells.

The first successful insulin injection into a human being was recorded on January 23rd of 1922, giving hope to those afflicted with diabetes by presenting a method of controlling their condition. By the end of the next month, the treatment was considered a success. Shortly thereafter, in May of 1922, a man named Eli Lily struck a deal with the University of Toronto and began the first large scale production of insulin in North America. This heralded an era of new discoveries with diabetes.

1944 showed the development of a standard syringe to be used for insulin intake, making the procedure more standardized. Diabetes patients also saw hope when oral medications were introduced to lower blood sugar levels and help to treat the condition in 1955. The realization that there were two types of diabetes occurred in the year of 1959, making treatment of these two different diseases more specific and helpful. Further progress in the fight for diabetes treatments included the development of blood glucose meters in 1970 and the introduction of bio-synthetic human insulin in the year 1983.

Since then, research has continued in the search for diabetes causes and cures. There are several foundations that conduct numerous research studies, hoping to find more ways to help those afflicted with this chronic illness. Hopefully, the future will herald much advancement in diabetic medicine and our knowledge of the disease can grow.