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Date:
May 15, 1798
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She was put upon the animal diet, and in the course of eight or ten days was better, to her feeling. However, several months later she died Dec 13th because "she was continually deviating from the plan, in eating different vegetable matters, and particularly sweets"
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Cases of the diabetes mellitus : with the results of the trials of certain acids
John Rollo
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From Doctor Gerard. Liverpool, 15 th May, 1798. IN compliance with your request, I shall give you a short account of two cafes of Diabetes Mellitus, which have fallen under my care at our Infirmary since that of Clarke, who, by the way, I must tell you, has never been heard of since he was discharged. They were both females. Mary Jackson, aged 57, was very much reduced indeed, when she was admitted in July last..
She had had 13 children ; the last 7 years of age. The disease commenced about July 1796, but was not attended with any particular circumstance, except an uncommon itching about the meatus urinarius, which returned at intervals, and was always attended with an increased flow of urine. She remarked, that upon the occurrence of a spontaneous vomiting, which continued several days, her water was reduced in quantity one half, but when the vomiting fubfided, the quantity became as great as before.
She was put upon the animal diet, and in the course of eight or ten days was better, to her feeling, though the urine was little altered; her appetite and thirst were more moderate, her spirits and complexion improved and the skin, which had been very harm and dry, had yielded to moderate perforation, and was become much softer.
She frequently took an opiate, and occasionally an emetic; and upon the disease proving obstinate, I ordered her five drops of hepatifed ammonia three times a day; the dose was gradually increased to 20 drops, which was repeated five times in the 24 hours, without producing any lasting amendment. Not meeting with the same success in this case as I had experienced in Clarke's, I determined to give her the carbonated ammonia in very full doses, which I was led to make trial of, both from the late discovery of its component parts, and also from the consideration of its being of copiously afforded by healthy urine, and animal matter in general, and therefore corresponding with the plan of animal diet. I also found a further inducement to persevere in this plan, upon hearing that Dr. Currie, of Chester, had succeeded in a case where he had made use of it. It was continued from August to December, and for a great part of the time, to the quantity of giv daily, one half in the form of pills, and the other in solution, saturated with carbonic acid air. It failed, however, in this instance, for she died on the 13th of December; but it must be remarked, that she was continually deviating from the plan, in eating different vegetable matters, and particularly sweets; but this did not come to my knowledge till it was too late; the fact, however, was proved beyond a doubt. The want of success in this instance, cannot, therefore, with any propriety, be attributed to the insufficiency of the plan.