With a Series of Graduated Diets
used at the
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
by
Children's Hospital, Boston
and
Dietitian, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
With an Introduction by
RICHARD C. CABOT, M.D.
Second Edition
Boston, Mass.
W. M. LEONARD
1916
Copyrighted 1915
by
W. M. Leonard
Second EditionFirst Edition Printed August, 1915
Second Edition Printed January, 1916
Second Edition Reprinted April, 1916
Although Dr. Allen's modifications of the classical treatment ofsaccharine diabetes have been in use only for about two years in thehands of their author, and for a much shorter time in those of otherphysicians, it seems to me already clearly proven that Dr. Allen hasnotably advanced our ability to combat the disease.
One of the difficulties which is likely to prevent the wide adoptionof his treatment is the detailed knowledge of food composition andcalorie value which it requires. Dr. Hill's and Miss Eckman's littlebook should afford substantial aid to all who have not had opportunityof working out in detail the progressive series of diets which shouldbe used after the starvation period. These diets, worked out by MissEckman, head of the diet kitchen at the Massachusetts GeneralHospital, have seemed to me to work admirably with the patients whohave taken them, both in hospital and private practice. The use ofthrice boiled vegetables, as recommended by Dr. Allen, seems to be asubstantial step in advance, giving, as it does, a considerable bulkof food without any considerable carbohydrate portion, and with thesemblance of some of the forbidden vegetables.
It is, of course, too early to say how far reaching and how permanentthe effects of such a diet will be in the severe and in the mildercases of diabetes. All we can say is that thus far it appears to workadmirably well. To all who wish to give their patients the benefit ofthis treatment I can heartily recommend this book.
Richard C. Cabot.
The purpose of this little book is to furnish to the generalpractitioner in compact form the details of the latest and mostsuccessful treatment of diabetes mellitus.
The "starvation treatment" of diabetes, as advanced by Dr. FrederickM. Allen of the Rockefeller Institute Hospital, is undoubtedly a mostvaluable treatment. At the Massachusetts General Hospital it has beenused for several months with great success, and it is thought worthwhile to publish some of the diets, and details of treatment that havebeen used there, as a very careful control of the proteid andcarbohydrate intake is of the utmost importance if the treatment is tobe successful. In carrying out the Allen treatment the physician mustthink in grams of carbohydrate and proteid—it is not enough simply tocut down the supply of starchy foods; he must know approximately howmuch carbohydrate and proteid his patient is getting each day. It isnot easy for a busy practitioner to figure out these dietary values,and for this reason the calculated series of diets given here