Evolution of Diabetes Treatment

1800s

Apr 18, 1800

Claude Bernard discovered that the liver stored glycogen and secreted the sugary substance into the blood. Also he found that pricking the brain stem can cause temporary diabetes.

Late 1800s

Apr 18, 1879

Von Mering disproved Bernard's liver theory when he noticed that removing the pancreas causes diabetes. Him and his partner, Minkowski, tried extracting an antidiabetic substance from the pancreas but failed.

Early 1900s

Apr 19, 1900

Diabetes was treated with a daily alkaline sponge bath, sugar of lead to restrict urine flow and sometimes clear opium.

Fredrick Banting

Apr 19, 1921

Worked with professors and medical students to extract a substance from the pancreas of a dog and try it on other dogs, which was successful

1900s

Apr 19, 1922

A boy received insulin made by banting, but failed. This same year, Collins developed purified injections which ended up lowering blood glucose levels.

1900s

Apr 19, 1923

Insulin began being produced commercially by many different countries. However, it was impure and crude.

1900s

Apr 19, 1926

Insulin was crystalized by J.J. Abel

1900s

Apr 19, 1936

Protamine zinc insulin was produced which was more pure with less pancreatic peptides.

1900s

Apr 19, 1954

Lente insulin was produced, which was more pure with less pancreatic peptides. In addition, the composition of insulin was discovered by Fredrick Sanger who distinguished 51 amino acids linked by disulphide bonds.

1900s

Apr 19, 1957

Solomon Berson and Rosalind Yalow did an immunoassay which enabled small concentrations of insulin to be measured accurately.

1900s

Apr 19, 1958

Diabetes is treated with a special diet and insulin, which was able to keep diabetes under control.

1900s

Apr 19, 1998

Diabetes is treated with insulin or, if serious, IV fluids are used in a hospital. In addition, treatment includes daily injections of insulin, and diets.