DIABETES, (Yco-Lat., from nk. drat3iirtic, dialilc•, 'siphon. from diarbainein. to stride. go through, from (lei, din, through + latineim to go). A disease of which the principal symptom is an abundant flow of saccharine urine. Diabetes is of taro kinds: (I) Diabetes insipiellis is a mere ,ymp• tom of a functional condition now generally termed polyuria, or an increased flow of normal urine, excessive thirst accompanying it : it is infrequent and not dangerous. (.2) Diabetes mellitus (Lai. rml, honey) is a grove disease in which the liver does not perform its proper work in transforming starelies and sugars (luring assimilation. and large quantities of liver-sugar (resembling grape sugar) appear in the urine. 1nosit (q.v.), nr 'imisele•sugar.' also appears in some eases in the urine. The cans,. of the dis ease is obscure. the pathology is uncertain. rind the treatment is unsatisfactory. Patients- suf fering from diabetes, besides urinating very fre quently and in largo experience ills. thirst. milli dryness of month and lips; of appetite, museular weakness, emaeiat ion, occasional ulcers. altered sight. and mental changes. generally eonsisting of confusion of ideas, indecision, and melancholia. in treating diabetic patients, a 'Het is prescribed of gluten bread, skim milk. cheese, eggs. meats. 11-11, green tomatoes. pickles. Sugars, ,larches. and ingligest ildes should be absolutely avoided. Bread made of gluten dour is very unpalatable. and, pritetieally, the strict
diet is rarely observed by the patient. drugs are used, with varying success, including bromides and salicylates, opium, and digestants. Recovery is very rare. Temporary gtoosurin, or sugar in the urine, occurs in some people after the use of chloral or the administration of an anesthetic. Some always have a little sugar in the urine without having any other symptom of diabetes, especially gouty or very fat people. Diabetes is not, as is popularly sup posed, a disease of the kidneys.
There are no pathological changes which are recognized as characteristic of this disease. In some case- lesions of the medulla oblongata have been described, brit the recently advanced theory of a distinct 'diabetic centre' in the medulla seems as yet to lack sufficient confirmation. Probably the most constant lesions are those found in the pancreas as noted by Lancereanx. The most common change is a simple atrophy of the pancreatic tissue, with or without an in crease in the interstitial connective tissue. Dr. W. T. Bull, of New York, has reported a case in which diabetes followed removal of the pan creas. and the results of experimental extirpation of the organ lend weight to its possible impor tance as the causative factor in diabetes. It must, however. be borne in mind that lesions similar to those described may be found in patients who have given no symptoms of diabetes.
See DIET.