All History

THE Natives of this Stoney Region subsist wholly by the chase and by fishing, the country produces no vegetables but berries on which they can live. The term " hunting " they apply only to the Moose and Rein Deer, and the Bear; they look for, and find the Beaver, they kill with the Gun, and by traps the Otter and other animals. Hunting is divided into what may be termed " tracking " and " tracing." Tracking an animal is by following it's foot-steps, as the Rein Deer and the Bear and other beasts; tracing, is following the marks of feeding, rubbing itself on the ground, and against trees, and lying down: which is for the Moose Deer, and for other animals on rocks and hard grounds. My remarks are from the Natives who are intimately acquainted with them, and make them their peculiar study. 

The first in order is the Moose Deer, the pride of the forest, and the largest of all the Deer, [it] is too well known to need a description. It is not numerous in proportion to the extent of country, but may even be said to be scarce. It is of a most watchful nature; it's long, large, capacious ears enables it to catch and discriminate, every sound; his sagacity for self preservation is almost incredible; it feeds in wide circles, one within the other, and then lies down to ruminate near the centre; so that in tracking of it, the unwary, or unskillful, hunter is sure to come to windward of, and start it; when, in about two hours, by his long trot, he is at the distance of thirty or forty miles, from where it started; when chased it can trot, (it's favorite pace) about twenty five to thirty miles an hour; and when forced to a gallop, rather loses, than gains ground. In calm weather it feeds among the Pines, Aspins and Willows; the buds, and tender branches of the two latter are it's food: but in a gale of wind he retires among the close growth of Aspins, Alders and Willows on low ground still observing the same circular manner of feeding and lying down. If not molested it travels no farther than to find it's food, and is strongly attached to it's first haunts, and after being harassed it frequently returns to it's usual feeding places. 

The flesh of a Moose in good condition, contains more nourishment than that of any other Deer; five pounds of this meat being held to be equal in nourishment to seven pounds of any other meat even of the Bison, but for this, it must be killed where it is quietly feeding; when run by Men, Dogs, or Wolves for any distance, it's flesh is altogether changed, becomes weak and watery and when boiled; the juices separates from the meat like small globules of blood, and does not make broth; the change is so great, one can hardly be persuaded it is the meat of a Moose Deer. The nose of the Moose, which is very large and soft, is accounted a great delicacy. It is very rich meat. The bones of it's legs are very hard and several things are made of them. His skin makes the best of leather. It is the noblest animal of the Forest, and the richest prize the Hunter can take. In the rutting season the Bucks become very fierce, and in their encounters sometimes interlock their large pal-mated horns so strongly that they cannot extricate them, and both die on the spot, and [this is a thing] which happens too often: three of us tried to unlock the horns of two Moose which had died in this manner, but could not do it, although they had been a year in this state, and we had to use the axe. In the latter end of September [1804] we had to build a trading house at Musquawegun Lake/ an Indian named Huggemowequan came to hunt for us, and on looking about thought the ground good for Moose, and told us to make no noise; he was told no noise would be made except the falling of the trees, this he said the Moose did not mind; when he returned, he told us he had seen the place a Doe Moose had been feeding in the beginning of May; in two days more he had unraveled her feeding places to the beginning of September. One evening he remarked to us, that he had been so near to her that he could proceed no nearer, unless it blew a gale of wind, when this took place he set off early, and shot the Moose Deer. This took place in the very early part of October. This piece of hunting the Indians regarded as the work of a matchless hunter beyond all praise. The Natives are very dextrous in cutting up, and separating the joints, of a Deer, which in the open season has to be carried by them to the tent, or if near the water, to a canoe; this is heavy work; but if the distance is too great, the meat is split and dried by smoke, in which no resinous wood must be used; this reduces the meat to less than one third of its weight. In winter this is not required, as the flat sleds are brought to the Deer, and the meat with all that is useful is hauled on the Snow to the tent. The Moose Deer, have rarely more than one Fawn at a birth, it's numbers are decreasing for, from it's settled habits a skillful hunter is sure to find, and wound, or kill this Deer, and it is much sought for, for food, for clothing and for Tents. The bones of the head of a Moose must be put into the water or covered with earth or snow.

Considering fresh meat, or the muscular part of animals, chemically, I see no reason why it should not be efficacious in preventing or curing the scurvy. Oxygene it contains, when raw , in a state of loose combination , though probably not in such large proportion as vegetable substances, even such as are not acid. I had noticed in travellers of great respectability passages that confirm this idea. The nations inhabiting the cold and dreary regions on the eastern shores of Asia , and the opposite coasts of America, seem to have learned from experience, that fresh, or at leaſt unsalted fish is a preventative of the scurvy, or a remedy for it .

Thus Dr. Pallas (Reise, iii. 47) describes the Ostiack Tartars of the Oby, as preparing their winter stores altogether without salt. “They are extremely apt, when disabled by age or infirmities, to become scorbutic. In winter they ravenously devour their frozen fish raw, a practice which the neighbouring Russians imitate , esteeming them a preservative against the 'scurvy.' (46.) 

Mr.Meares (Voyage, Introd. p. 30 .) speaking of an American tribe, says, “She made us sensible that the same disorder (scurvy) prevailed in her nation; and that whenever the symptoms appeared, they removed to the southward, where the climate was more genial, and where plenty of fish was to be obtained, which never failed to prove the means of their recovery.”

The reader will probably agree to consider the frozen as fresh fish. If it were possible to preserve meat on ship board, in this simple manner, one great source of the scurvy would probably be cut off. Cookery combines the oxygene anew; would our sailors eat raw animal food?

Dr. Lind, though he has full confidence in green vegetables, and affirms that the scurvy never can become a general, fatal, and destructive calamity, where they abound, and the proper method of treatment is known and pursued (p. 541.); he concludes from a number of comparative trials (p. 538), that certain patients in Haslar hospital in general grew better, notwithstanding they abstained altogether from vegetables.

"This strict abstinence from the fruits of the earth," says he, "was continued long enough to convince me, that the disease would often, from various circumstances, take a favourable turn, independent of any diet, medicine, or regimen ." We have nothing, I presume, to oppose in point of conclusiveness to such experiments made by a physician so intelligent and so experienced in this particular disease.

Among the Africans, of whose sufferings on board the slave ship Dr. Trotter has given so particular and affecting an history, corpulence seems to have been , as it were, the first stage of scurvy. “When a negro was becoming rapidly fat,'” says he, “it was no difficult matter to determine how soon he would be seized with the scurvy; so that corpulence seems here to have been the harbinger of the scurvy. Writers have been particular in noticing that this disease seldom or never produces emaciation. Dr. Trotter, upon whose information we may place full reliance , tells us, that having purposely inquired among his medical acquaintances in the navy, he did not find one who considered the wasting of the flesh or absorption of fat as a symptom congenial to scurvy . He immediately subjoins some observations of his own, that clearly indicate a connection between the scurvy and obesity (p. 98 , 99.). "In a corpulent state of the body,” he says, “the most hideous features of the disease are expressed; such are the bloated looks and countenance, & c. In a mess of midshipmen, who lived altogether on the ship’s fare, the only one he ever saw affected with the scurvy was a young man remarkably corpulent. From the whole of his observations it appears clearly that obesity predisposed his patients to scurvy, or rather was to them what cachexia is to dropsy.

The Bible Christians migrating to Philadelphia did so with the full support of the movement’s founder, William Cowherd, who preached that it was only possible to live an authentic religious life in an agricultural society.

In 1793, Cowherd, tired of the sectarian quibbles and professional jealousies that seemed to pervade Anglicanism, left his pulpit and became the spiritual leader of the Swedenborgian New Jerusalem Church in Manchester. He embraced the radical politics of the movement, including its Christian spiritualism, pacifi st worldview, and meatless dietetics. Cowherd quickly realized, however, that even the Swedenborgians were affl icted by interpersonal conflict and power plays. Infl uenced by the radical politics of Thomas Paine and William Godwin, Cowherd decided to start his own movement.  At the heart of the Bible Christian Church were three guiding principles: temperance, pacifism, and a meatless diet.  In the early years of the nineteenth century, Cowherd’s church grew, primarily drawing members of Manchester’s working class with the promise of salvation for their souls and free vegetable soup for their stomachs.

The Esquimaux are a people with whom we are very little acquainted, although in a manner surrounding us, they live wholly on the sea coast, which they possess from the gulph of the St. Lawrence, round the shores of Labrador to Hudsons Straits, these Straits and adjacent Islands, to Hudson's Bay, part of it's east shores ; but on the west side of this Bay, only north of Churchill River, thence northward and westward to the Coppermine River ; thence to the McKenzie and westward to Icy Cape, the east side of Behring's Strait. Along this immense line of sea coast they appear to have restricted themselves to the sea shores,* their Canoes give them free access to ascend the Rivers, yet they never do, every part they frequent is wholly destitute of growing Trees, their whole dependence for fuel and other purposes is on drift wood, of which, fortunately there is plenty. The whole is a dreary, monotonous coast of Rock and Moss without Hills or Mountains to the McKenzie River, thence westward the Mountains are near the shore. In the latter end of February and the months of March and April, from the mouth of the River seaward for several miles the Seals are numerous, and have many holes in the ice through which they come up : how these holes are made in the apparent solid ice, I never could divine ; to look into them, they appear like so many wells of a round form, with sides of smooth solid ice and their size seldom large enough to admit two seals to pass together. 

The Seals do not come up on the ice before nine or ten in the morning as the weather may be, and go down between two and three in the afternoon ; they are always on the watch, scarce a minute passes without some one lifting his head, to see if any danger is near from the Bear or Man, apparently their only enemies. Three of us several times made an attempt to kill one, or more ; but to no purpose, however wounded they had always life enough to faU into the ice hole and we lost them ; and I have not heard of any Seal being killed on the spot by a Ball. The Esquimaux who live to the northward of us kill these animals for food and clothing in a quiet and sure manner : the Hunter is armed with a Lance headed with Bone or Iron, the latter always preferred : the handle of which, sometimes is the length of twenty yards (measured) made of pieces of drift larch wood, neatly fitted to each other, bound together with sinew, the handle is shortened, or lengthened, as occasion may require. The Esquimaux Hunter in the evening, when the Seals are gone to the sea, examines their holes, the places where they lie, and having selected the hole, best adapted to his purpose, early in the morning before the seals come up, goes to the ice hole he has selected, on the south side of which he places his Lance, the handle directed northward, the point of the Lance close to the hole, for the seals He on the north side of the ice hole, and directing his Lance to the spot [where] the Seals have been lying, having firmly laid the helve of his lance, he retires to the end of it, and there hides himself behind some broken ice, which if he does not find to his purpose, he brings pieces of ice to make the shelter he requires. Lying flat on his beUy he awaits with patience the coming up of the Seals ; the first Seal takes his place at the north edge of the hole, this is also the direction in which the Lance is laid ; the other seals, two, or three more, are close on each side, or behind ; if the Seal is not in the direct line of the Lance, which is sometimes the case, he gently twists the handle of the Lance until it is directly opposite to the heart of the Seal ; still he waits with patience until the Seal appears asleep ; when with all his skill and strength he drives the Lance across the hole (near three feet) into the body of the Seal, which, finding itself wounded, and trying to throw itself into the ice hole, which the handle of the lance prevents, only aids the wound ; the hunter keeps the handle firm, and goes on hands and knees to near the hole, where he quietly waits the death of the seal ; he then drags the seal from the hole, takes out his lance and carefully washes the blood from it. When the hunter shows himself all the seals for some distance around dive into the ice holes, and do not come up for several minutes ; this gives time to the Esquimaux to place his lance at another hole, and await the seals return, and thus he sometimes kills two of them in one day but this is not often, as the weather is frequently stormy and cloudy. 

The Esquimaux are of a square, plump make, few of them exceed five feet eight inches in height, the general stature is below this size, and the women are in proportion to the men, their features though broad are not unpleasing, with a tendency to ruddy, they appear cheerful and contented, they are supple active and strong ; from the land, in the open season, they have berries, and a few reindeer, but it is to the sea they look for their subsistence : the sea birds, the seal, morse, beluga, and the whale ; living on these oily foods, they are supposed not to be clean, but the fact is, they are as cleanly as people living as they do, and without soap can be expected [to be], all their cooking utensils are in good order. 

In summer part of them dwell in tents made of the dressed skins of the reindeer, these are pitched on the gravel banks, and kept very neat, they make no fire in them to prevent [them] being soiled with smoke, which is made near the tent. The salmon and meat of the reindeer they cure by smoke of drift wood of which they have plenty. They are very industrious and ingenious, being for eight months of the year exposed to the glare of the snow, their eyes become weak ; at the age of forty years almost every man has an impaired sight. The eyesight of the women is less injured at this age. They make neat goggles of wood with a narrow slit, which are placed on the eyes, to lessen the light. They all use Darts, Lances, Bows and Arrows, as weapons of defence, and for hunting ; their Darts and Lances are made of drift Larch wood, headed with bone of the leg of the Rein Deer,^ or a piece of iron, the latter preferred, and the length of the Dart is proportioned to it's intended use — for Birds, the Seal, the Beluga, Whale or the Morse ; * to the Dart or Lance for the three latter, a large bladder made of sealskins, and blown full of air is attached by a strong line of neatly twisted sinew. This not only shews the place of the wounded animal but soon tires him, [so] that he becomes an easy prey, though sometimes with risque to the Hunter and Canoe. 

In their conduct to each other they are sociable, friendly, and of a cheerful temper. But we are not sufficiently acquainted with their language to say much more ; in their traffic with us they are honest and friendly. They are not of the race of the north american Indians, but of european descent. Nothing can oblige an Indian to work at anything but stern necessity ; whereas the Esquimaux is naturally industrious, very ingenious, fond of the comforts of life so far as they can attain them, always cheerful, and even gay ; it is true that in the morning, when he is about to embark in his shell of a Canoe, to face the waves of the sea, and the powerful animals he has to contend with, for food and clothing for himself and family, he is for many minutes very serious, because he is a man of reflection, knows the dangers to which he is exposed, but steps into his canoe, and bravely goes through the toil and dangers of the day. 

*^ In a general way, this statement that the Eskimo Hve exclusively on the sea coast is correct. Nevertheless, while exploring the Kazan river, which flows into Chesterfield Inlet, in 1894, I encountered a tribe of Eskimo who live on its banks and rarely visit the salt water. They subsist chiefly on the meat of the caribou, which they kill with their spears in great numbers, and from the skins of the caribou they make their clothing and the coverings for their kayaks or small canoes.

Diabetes Its Medical and Cultural History

"From that period I had not met with a case of Diabetes, although I had observed an extensive range of disease in America, the West Indies, and in England, until 1796." "Captain Meredith, of the Royal Artillery, being an acquaintance. I had seen him very frequently, previous to his going on camp duty in 1794, but then he had no disease; however, he always had impressed me, from his being a large corpulent person, with the idea that he was not unlikely to fall into disease. (Editor: Another instance of Rollo's clinical acuteness.)" "On the 12th of June, 1796, he visited me, and though I was at once struck with the diminution of his size, yet, at the same time, the colour of his face being ruddy, I received no impression, otherwise than of his being in health: a moment's conversation, however, convinced me of the contrary ...... 

"He complained of great thirst and a keenness of appetite; his skin was hot, dry and parched; and his pulse small and quick. He told me his complaints had been attributed to an old disease, and a liver affection. The thirst, dry skin, and quick pulse, marking a febrile state, depending probably on some local circumstance, and connecting these with the keenness of appetite, Diabetes immediately suggested itself to me. I enquired into the state of his urine, which I found in quantity and colour to be characteristic of the disease; and was at the same time much surprised, that for the two or three months he had been under the care of a Physician and Surgeon, the circumstance of the increased urine had not been known to them. The patient told me, as he drank so much, the quantity of urine had appeared to him a necessary consequence; and of course never having been asked about it, he gave no information. I directed him to keep the urine he next passed, and, on examination, it was found to be sweet; in consequence of which the disease became sufficiently ascertained." 

At another point in the case history, Rollo states that Captain Meredith was 34 years of age and was 71 3/4 inches tall. At the time of beginning of the special treatment, the symptoms of diabetes had been present seven months or more and his weight had fallen from 232 to 162 pounds. A view held by some at that time was that diabetes was a primary affection of the kidneys. However, Rollo developed the idea that the disease was "a primary and peculiar affection" of the stomach in which, due to some morbid changes in "the natural powers of digestion and assimilation," sugar or saccharine material was formed in that organ, chiefly from vegetable matter. It was on this basis that he advocated the use of an animal diet together with certain medication designed to quiet the overactive stomach and to diminish the appetite. 

Following initial bloodlettings, Rollo's treatment of Captain Meredith was as follows: 

"1st. The diet to consist of animal food principally, and to be thus regulated: 

Breakfast. One and a half pint of milk and half a pint of lime-water, mixed together; and bread and butter. 

Noon. Plain blood-puddings, made of blood and suet only. 

Dinner. Game, or old meats, which have been long kept; and as far as the stomach may bear, fat and rancid old meats, as pork. To eat in moderation. 

Supper. The same as breakfast." 

"2dly. A drachm of kali sulphuratum to be dissolved in four quarts of water which has been boiled, and to be used for daily drink. No other article whatever, either eatable or drinkable, to be allowed, than what has been stated." 

"3dly. The skin to be annointed with hog's lard every morning. Flannel to be worn next the skin. The gentlest exercise to be only permitted; but confinement to be preferred." 

"4thly. A draught at bed-time of twenty drops of tartarized antimonial wine and twenty-five of tincture of opium; and the quantities to be gradually increased. In reserve, as substances diminishing action, tobacco and foxglove. " 

"5thly. An ulceration, about the size of half a crown, to be produced and maintained externally, and immediately opposite to each kidney. And, 

"6thly. A pill of equal parts aloes and soap, to keep the bowels regularly open."

Therapy 

A special diabetic diet was undoubtedly one of the foremost therapeutic measures, even before the age of insulin. Even before it was recognized that diabetes was a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism, various kinds of diet had been recommended. A change to a diet decided purely pragmatically, which was nevertheless very effective, did not come until JOHN ROLLO (d. 1809), a Scottish physician, who, in 1797, had achieved good results with a meat diet, made his recommendation (MARBLE; ANDERSON; BECKENDORF). He gave a particularly detailed account  The History of Diabetes mellitus 85 of the case of Captain MEREDITH of the Royal Artillery, who became diabetic at the age of 34, and who was very obviously overweight. His diet consisted of a breakfast and supper of milk mixed with lime-water and bread and butter, while his dinner consisted of pudding made of fat and blood and mature, preferably rank pork. In this way he had - without being conscious of it - excluded carbohydrates almost entirely from the diet. The patient of course lost a great deal of weight and felt extremely well. 

A second patient was less cooperative and therefore died at the age of 57, 19 months after treatment was begun, mainly - as ROLLO pointed out - because during his last three months he indulged in such things as apple pudding, sugar in his tea, and wine. 

The "meat diet" was used well into the 19th century, although gradually it was considered wiser not to cut out all carbohydrates, and patients had a certain amount of carbohydrate added to their diet, even though that caused some glycosuria. This kind of diet was initiated in the middle of the 19th century, mainly by ADOLF NIKOLAUS VON DURING (1820-1882) and RUDOLF EDUARD KULZ (1845-1895). The latter even distinguished between harmful and harmless carbohydrates and found that levulose, inulin, inosit, mannite, and lactose, as well as some root vegetables like celery, comfrey, etc. caused no deterioration of the metabolic condition. But it remains true that many specialists did recommend a carbohydrate-free diet with a lot of meat and fat (DICKINSON; PAVY; SEEGEN; R. SCHUMACHER, STEPP). 

The Diabetes Mellitus, though sometimes terminating in recovery, is yet well known to be a disease which has in general refilled every remedy hitherto recommended for its removal. Every attempt, therefore, to improve the practice in that affection, may justly be considered as deserving particular attention. The ingenious author of the work now before us, recommends a mode of treatment, which, in some instances, has been decidedly productive of remarkable benefit. It may justly, therefore, be considered as well meriting a fair trial in future cafes. 

The first cafe here related, is that of Captain Meredith, of the Royal Artillery. When he came under Dr Rollo's care, on the 16th of October 1796, he voided about twelve quarts of urine in twenty-four hours. This urine, seven quart-bottles of which he had preserved, having been voided during the course of the night, was of a light straw colour, had no urinous smell, but emitted somewhat of a violent flavour, and was very sweet to the taste. He was affected with 1 excessive thirst, and had drank, during the day, feven or eight quarts. His tongue was somewhat whitish, but moist: there was a cleanness in his mouth, and he spat a white frothy saliva, of a sweetish taste. His appetite for food was variable, sometimes unusually keen, particularly at uncommon times, as during the night. His face was fulfilled, his skin dry, but not unusually warm, and his pulse did not exceed eighty-four strokes in the minute. He was frequently sick, and threw up a viscid matter, of a bitterish taste, but with some sweetness. After eating, he complained of a pain of his stomach, which in general continued about half an hour. He complained of a constant pain in the region of the kidneys, extending forwards, but more particularly in the right, in which there seemed to be a greater fullness and tenderness to the touch. There was likewife a retraction of the testicle, with a weakness, sense of coldness, and at night an (Edematous swelling of the leg on the same side. He also complained of a pain and tenderness of the great toe. He felt also a lingular fluttering fenfation in his belly, extending from the fituation of the kidneys. He was regular in his bowels, though sometimes inclined to costiveness. His stools were of a greenish colour, and had no unpleasant smell. The prepuce of the penis did not retract. It had a whitish appearance, with excoriation and soreness, but was not swelled. His gums were reddish, and had the appearance as if affected by mercury. The teeth felt to him loose. There was a fullness about the eyes, with a turbid yellowish cast, and, he had slight occasional headaches. He had not been particularly restricted in diet, which consisted of animal food and vegetables; and he drank from a pint to a bottle of port wine daily. His other drink was toast-water. He used exercise, both in the way of riding and walking; but he could not walk above two miles without much fatigue. At this time thirty-six ounces, Troy weight, of his urine, analyzed by Mr Cruickshank, yielded by evaporation three ounces and one dram of saccharine extract, of the appearance of molasses, but thicker. According to this proportion, his whole urine for a day, would have yielded twentynine ounces Troy weight; an astonishing quantity to be separated daily from the system. Treating some of this extract with the nitrous acid, Mr Cruickshank procured the saccharine or oxalic acid. With a smaller proportion of the acid, it produced a substance which, in appearance, taste, and smell, could not be distinguished from honey. Two portions of blood, about four ounces each, were taken from his arm. These in appearance exactly resembles what is described by Dr Dobson, excepting that the serum did not impart a sensibly sweet taste. The crassamentum of the first cup had a slight buffy coat ; the craffamentum of the fecond had more. The buffy coat in both was of a bluish colour, similar to "what mercury sometimes produces. A portion of blood from a healthy person, drawn on the same day, was placed in the same room, and in the same circumstances with one of the portions of diabetic blood. In two days the diabetic blood assumed a caseous appearance on the surface, and the whole mass became dry and resinous, without having undergone any apparent putrefactive process. At the end of sixteen days, it remained in the same state; whereas the healthy blood exhibited evident marks of great putrefaction in four days ; and it became necessary to throw it away on the seventh.

When this patient came under Dr Rollo's care, his disease had been of seven months standing. During that time he had taken some remedies, under the direction of an eminent physician at Yarmouth, the principal of which were Peruvian bark and alum. He had fallen away very considerably in flesh and fat; for, in October 1794, when in apparent health, he weighed sixteen stones and eight pounds; and in November 1796, he weighed only eleven stones and eight pounds, showing a loss by the disease of no less than five stones in weight. For six months preceding the attack of the diabetes, he was often sick, and vomited at least two or three times a-week ; and he frequently brought up from the stomach, during these vomitings, different things which he had eaten several days before. These seemed to be unaltered, and the taste was very generally four. He always ate heartily, and drank freely, but not intemperately. He was fond of high-seafoned and fat dishes. He had been subjected to two regular attacks of gout, and had at other times two severe fits of cholic. He had been twice married, and had two children. He was, in the thirty-fourth year of his age, five feet eleven inches high, of a fair complexion, with light-brown hair, and dark-blue eyes. From an attentive consideration of all the circumstances of this case, what appeared to Dr Rollo to be the principal objects of treatment, were, to destroy the saccharine process going on in the stomach, to promote a healthy assimilation, to prevent the supposed increase of absorption from the surface, to diminish the increased action, and to change the imagined derangement of the kidneys. With these intentions the following plan of treatment was resolved upon.

1. His diet to confift principally of animal food; for breakfast, a pint and a half of milk mixed with half a pint of lime water, bread and butter; at noon, plain pudding, made of blood and fuet only; at dinner, game, and old meats which have been long kept, and, as far as the stomach may bear, fat and rancid old meats, as pork, taking care always to eat in moderation; for supper, the same as breakfast.

2. For drink, he was allowed daily four quarts of water which had been boiled, and in which was dissolved a dram of the kali sulphuratum. He was strictly forbid to use any other article, excepting these, either in the way of meat or drink.

3. His skin to be anointed with hogs lard every morning. Flannel to be worn next the skin, and the gentle exercise only to permitted, but confinement to be preferred.

4. A draught to be taken at bed-time, confifting of twenty-five drops of tartarised antimonial wine, and twenty-five of tincture of opium and the quantities to be gradually increased.

5. An ulceration, about the size of half a crown, was directed to be produced, and maintained externally, immediately opposite to each kidney. And, lastly, his bowels were to be kept regularly open, by a pill of equal parts of aloes and soap.

This treatment was begun on the 19th of October, and, so soon as the 21ft, some changes occurred. He made, in twenty four hours, only six quarts of urine, and drank only three quarts of the sulphurated alkaline water. The urine was not so pale, had a cloud in it, and was more urinous in smell. 

On the 1ft of November the urine did not exceed four quarts, while it was of a higher colour, and more urinous smell. His skin was moist and he perspired freely; his stools were large, and very offensive, and he was in every respect much easier, though he complained of much pain from the ulcerated parts of the loins. Imagining that the quantity of alkaline salt, which he took daily in the kali sulphuratum, might have some improper effect on the kidneys, it was resolved to try hepatifed ammonia, on the suggestion of Mr Cruickshank, who was of opinion, that it might prove a more certain and active medicine in diminishing the action of the stomach, as well as the action of the system m general. He was therefore directed to take five drops of it, in each half-pint tumbler full of water, which he used as drink. The ill day he took thirty-five drops at different times, which in the evening, produced sickness and vomiting, with giddiness and drowsiness. He was therefore diredled to leave off the hepatifed ammonia for one day, and then to begin with two drops to each tumbler full of water. On the fourth, he drank only two pints of water, and made only two quarts of urine, which was not sweet, and deposited a red sandy, or lateritious sediment. 

On the 5th of November, the opiate at bedtime was discontinued ; and on the 8th the rubbing with the hogs lard was left off. Between the 4th and 14th of November, in consequence of some irregularities on the part of the patient, particularly drinking beer and tea, the disease was to a flight degree reproduced. 

On the 14th, therefore, an entire abstinence from vegetable matter was directed; nothing was allowed approaching nearer to it than milk; and even this was directed to be left off, and strong beef-tea substituted, should the disease not disappear. This soon produced a favourable change, his urine became again of a much Higher colour, and its smell and taste quite urinous. He afterwards continued for some time with tolerable regularity on the course already mentioned, and by the 18th of December his disease seemed to be in a great measure overcome; he was therefore desired to eat half a pound of bread as a daily allowance, and to take exercise more freely. 

On the 30th of December, Dr Rollo found that since the 18th he had continued free from the disease. He was now in high spirits, and rapidly gaining flesh. His urine did not exceed two pints in the twenty-four hours. It was often under that quantity, and perfectly urinous. He now weighed thirteen stones and one pound; so that he had gained about alone and a half lince the end of November; which furnished a convincing proof, not only of the removal of the disease, but also of the disposition to it. 

After this period, Captain Meredith might be considered as continuing free from complaints. He took exercise freely, both in the way of walking and riding. He ate a sufficient proportion of bread, potatoes, and other vegetables, without any inconvenience- His appetite was good and natural, and his bowels regularly open. His urine continued perfectly natural, and, in general," did not exceed a quart in twenty-four hours. Of this urine, which was of the ordinary taste and smell, nine ounces were evaporated, -and yielded of a brown and pungently saline bitterish-tasted matter, without tenacity, three drams and twenty grains, a product excessively different from the saccharine extract resembling molasses, which his urine yielded in October. The product now obtained was very nearly the fame, both in quantity and quality, as Dr Rollo obtained from his own urine, which, he had every reason to believe, was in the healthy state. About the middle of March, Captain Meredith continuing in a state of health, was ordered on active service; to which he very readily assented, being satisfied that his health now enabled him to execute the duties of his station.

Captain Meredith began the above treatment on Oct. 19, 1796. Two days later the quantity of urine passed in twenty-four hours had fallen from seven or eight quarts to six quarts. By November 1 the quantity did not exceed four quarts and on November 4 "he drank only three pints of water, and made only two quarts of urine, which to him and his servants (who had been in the habit of tasting his urine from curiosity) was not sweet." As time went on, the opium at bedtime was discontinued and the rubbing with hog's lard was left off. The latter was found to be a "troublesome and disagreeable" part of the treatment. Rollo decided to simplify therapy to include those features which were considered really essential: animal food, confinement with limitation of activity, and hepatized ammonia. The hepatized ammonia (ammonium sulphide) was used in place of "kali sulphuratum," originally prescribed, with the thought that it might be "a more certain and active medicine than the other on the stomach, in diminishing its action." 

Captain Meredith was directed to keep notes regarding his symptoms, diet, medication and progress of his illness. He did this quite faithfully, recording his transgressions as well as his attempts at cooperation. When at times he indulged in apples, bread and beer, Rollo found it necessary "to point out in stronger language the impropriety of such deviations." By December 30 the patient was free from abnormal thirst and polyuria, was regaining some of his lost weight and felt well. Continuation of treatment with a somewhat more liberal allowance of bread in the diet was prescribed.

4th May, 1797- I SEND you an extract of the case of Walker, with Dr. Hope's permission, and you may do with it whatever you please. The effects of the animal diet on the quantity and quality of the urine are perfectly evident, though the case could not be carried to an absolute termination, from the impatience and instability of the patient. In Hospitals, where patients three three or four times in the day every person about them eating vegetables, a trial of an entire diet of animal food can hardly be expected.

James Walker, a field-labourer, was admitted by Dr. Hope into the Clinical Ward, with a confirmed Diabetes, on the 1st November, 1796. 

"His appetite is voracious, and his thirst so urgent, as to make him defire from ten to fixteen quarts in twenty-four hours. His urine is praeternaturally copious, and he has a frequent inclination to pass it. It is limpid, of a light green colour, and having a slightest sweet taste. He is much emaciated ; and his feet and ankles swell towards evening. Pulse 96. Skin parched and rough. Body costive. 

He recollects, on a frosty morning in December 1795, having slept fome hours in an open cart, On the May following the above symptoms appeared, and have increased ever since. He has feveral times been the object of medical treatment; but without permanent relief. 

• 2d. Milk daily, and as much drink as he chooses. 

• 3d. Urine 22 pounds, Ingefta 20 pounds.. AtL 153

• 4d. Urine 13 pounds. Ingefta 17 pounds. The urine becomes turbid on the addition of lime water; when evaporated it affords an extract like molasses, which is sweet to the taste. This matter mixed with lime, exhales the odour of ammonia. 

• From this day to the 29th December, he remained nearly in the same state, the quantity of urine fluctuating between 12 and 18 pounds in 24 hours. During this interval he took some ferrum vitriolatum in the form of pills; ufed the cold shower bath, and took occassionally fome emetics and laxatives ; —the stomach being at times deranged, and the coflivenefs very obflinate. Under this treatment he feemed to get a little stronger, but without any important change in the general symptoms of the disease. It was agreed to try the effects of animal food, as lately given with success by Dr. Rollo at Woolwich, an account of which was tranfmitted by Dr. Woollcombe to Mr. Marcet. 

• December 29th, Dr. Hope gave the following report. Ingesta 17 pounds; urine 13 pounds. Five pounds of this urine have afforded 5ounces of a thick saccharine extract. He has had for a month, an unpleasant sense of burning heat in the soles of his feet during the night. He is directed to abstain from vegetable food in every shape. To have two eggs for breakfast. Boiled meat and fleaks alternately for dinner. Eggs, or cheefe for fopper. For drink eight pounds of weak beef tea, and two pounds of weak peppermint water. 

• 30th December. Solid ingested about two pounds ; drink ten pounds ; urine nine pounds. Let him have two pounds of flesh meat for dinner; half a pound of cheese for supper; and three eggs for breakfast—drink as before, Ingefta (drink, and food) ten pounds ; urine five pounds, which exhales an unusually strong urinous smell. Had a partial sweat over the trunk and head in the night. Mouth moist; no sourness. of stomach. 

• January 1st, 1797- Solid ingesta as usual ; drink nine pounds ; urine eight pounds, more limpid than yeflerday, and has a sharp acid odour. The breath has the fame smell . The colour of the urine, however, is not changed, on addition of syrup of violets. There is slight headache and sickness. The tongue appears much cleaner than usual. Has had a stool. Contin. diaeta animalis. 

• January 2d. Solid ingefta the fame; drink eight pounds; urine fix pounds. No flcknefs or hcadach ; tongue clear; the burning heat of the feet as before. One Joofe ftool. Contin. 

• 3d. Drink 10 pounds; urine 7 1 pounds, of a deeper yellow than formerly; tongue natural. Contin. 

• 4th. Drink ten pounds; urine feven pounds. Contin. 

• 5th. Drink nine pounds ; urine 6{ pounds, more yellow, with a peculiar (not urinous) odour. Contin. 

• 6th. No report, as laft night he went out, returned to the ward drunk, fo that his urine could not be meafured. 

• 7th. Drink 7 pounds ; urine 6 pounds, having the same peculiar smell, 

• 8th. Drink 7 pounds; urine 6 pounds; body coftive. Contin. diaeta animalis. Sum: ftatim pil. rhoei. comp. ^ l'et iterum eras mane. 

• 9th. 156 Qtfa Drink iix pounds ; urine four pounds ; a copious ftool this morning; ftrength not changed fince he began the animal food. Contin. et habeat aq. menth. piper, lbiv pro potu. minuatur quantitas decocti carnis ad lbiv. 

• 10th. Solid food as formerly ; drink feven pounds ; urine five pounds ; no flool. Sum : flatim pil. rhcei. comp. B 1. 

• llth. Drink fix pounds ; urine four pounds ; three llools this morning. Contin. diaeta animalis, 

• 12th. Drink fix pounds ; urine four pounds ; two ftools—he thinks his ftrength is fomewhat impaired within thefe two or three days. Adeat eras mane balneum frigidum. Drink feven pounds ; urine five pounds ; bore, the bath well. Contin, 1 4th. Drink eight pounds; urine fix pounds. Contin* 

• 1 5th. Drink eight pounds ; urine fix pounds. 

• l6tk Solid food as before; drink eight pounds; urine fix pounds, of a light ftraw colour, and with the peculiar fmell it has had for fome time. The urine of the 14th being evaporated, afforded matter of confiderable confiftence, with a ftrong faline, but fcarcely perceptible fweetifh tafte. 

• 17th. Drink eight pounds ; urine fix pounds ; thinks he is weaker. 

• 18th. Drink eight pounds; urine 5| pounds. Contin, IQth and 10th. Drink each day eight pounds ; urine fix pounds. Contin. 1\Ji January. Drink feven pounds ; urine five pounds. He has left the Infirmary to-day, by his own defire, to return to the country." 

• 4th May. Dr. Hope told me a few days ago, that he had just then. received a letter from Walker, who says that since he left the Infirmary he has become weaker; and there is some expectation of his returning foon to the Hospital to resume his treatment. But it is doubtful whether when he was in the Clinical Ward he observed strictly the diet preferred. At least he was accustomed to go about freely; and the nurse told me repeatedly, that she suspected he did not entirely abstain from indulgencies of eating and drinking out of the house.

From Dr. Cleghorn, Lecturer in Chemistry, and one of the Physicians to the Infirmary at Glasgow. Glasgow May l9 1797. 

SOME months ago I was honoured with your excellent pamphlet on Diabetes. At that moment I had two diabetic patients in the Royal Infirmary of this place, and I began instantly to treat them on your plan. They are both cured ; and I have delayed so long to thank you for your politeness, in the hope that I might be able to inform you of this new success. 

CASE L John M'Lean, a Porter, age 38, December 9th, 1796. 

Four months ago had a fever, after which while yet weak, he began to work hard. Soon afterwards he observed his urine more abundant than usual, amounting daily to 24 pounds, or more. 

Though his appetite be voracious, he becomes leaner from clay to day, and is so weak that he cannot walk a few steps without panting. His mouth is parched, tongue red, thirst extreme, belly collive. Pulse 84. 

A few days ago he had a slight cough, with pain in the right breast ; but these complaints have abated. The feelings about the stomach when he thinks himfelf hungry, differ from those he formerly had; they are more uneasy, and the uneasiness is less removed by taking food. He is often troubled with flatulence ; and complains constantly of weakness or pain in the back and loins. Has used no medicines. On examining the urine it was found limpid and very sweet. A pound of it yielded by evaporation more than an ounce of a thick brown extract, like treacle in appearance and taste. 

December 10th. He was ordered an ounce of castor oil, and the same quantity of compound tincture of fenna. His loins were directed to be rubbed every evening and morning with anodyne balfam. Equal parts of kino and ruft of iron, formed into pills rcki pills of five grains, with extract of chamomile^ were to be given, two for a dofe thrice a day. His drink and urine were ordered to be meafured daily, and the following reports, abridged from the Infirmary Regifler, fhew the refult. 

11th and 12th. One stool ; urine 28 pounds ; has drank about 14 pounds, besides the usual allowance of beer and broth. 

13th. Urine 27 pounds ; drink 8 pounds ; has had double allowance of food. Belly natural. To take 8 pills daily. 

14th. Feels himfelf a little eafier and stronger. To drink a pint of alum whey daily at different times. To have the oil and tincture of fennawhen coftive. In this courfe he persevered till the 17th of January, 1797. The quantity of his urine diminifhed daily. On the 16th December it amounted only to 20 pounds ; next day to 1 8 ; next to 1 5 ; next to 13; but on the 20th it rose to 16 pounds, without any cause that could be pointed out, unlefs the increafe proceeded from coftivenefs. Next day it fell again to 13; on the 24th it rofe to 1 5 : after which it varied from 13 to 7 J pounds. This was the quantity voided on the 17th January. It never fell below 71; most commonly it was between 8 and 10 pounds. Meantime the patient confidered himfelf as cured. He slept comfortably, sometimes not rising during the nighty never oftener than once. The feelings about his stomach were more agreeable ; his countenance looked less ghastly, and he felt his strength returning apace. On examining his urine, however, I had the mortification to find it nearly as sweet as ever. I confidered the cure therefore as very incomplete, and I expected that the urine would soon begin to increase, as it had uniformly done in every cafe that I have hitherto feen, and I have feen a confiderable number. 

While under this painful apprehension I received Dr. Rollo's pamphlet, which seemed to me to contain a more distinct theory, and a more reasonable practice, than I had ever met with before. As I could not immediately procure the hepatifed ammonia, I ordered him to use for drink four pounds of water, containing a drachm of lixiva fulphurata. The alum whey to be continued. 

Jan 20 Urine 8 pounds, sweet. Has used vegetables and milk freely. Took 3 pounds of the ammoniated water. The necessity of abstaining from vegetables was explained, and enforced, and he was ordered to continue the water. 

February 10th. This morning took 15 drops at once, with no other effect than a sense of heat in the stomach. Urine 6 pounds, less natural in tafte and smell. Finding himself strong enough, he asked leave to go home, (to the fuburbs of Glafgos) to manage some business which required his prefence. He promised to abstain from vegetables, to take his drops, and to return if he became worse. I have seen him several times at work, and this day, being the 10th of May, I received from his own mouth the following account. 

In 24 hours his urine is about 5 pounds. He taftes it very often, and it has never been fweet, but after getting little animal food for days together (which has happened more than once) it has fometimes been of a four fmell. Formerly he could carry on a wheelbarrow three hundred weight ; at present he carries one hundred weight, and he can walk as well as ever. Two days ago he went express to Paisley, received an answer to the letter he carried, and returned to Glasgow in three hours and a half (about 14§ miles). 

Occafionally he has taken 60 drops a day of the hepatifed ammonia, which he likes, because it gives him an agreeable feeling of warmth, and never produces any inconvenience. For two weeks, however, he has had none, since which his urine has not increas›ed in quantity, has not been sweet, and when evaporated lately by himself, and by a neighbour of his, whose curiosity he has excited, it yielded no sugar. The residuum could not be diftinguished from that of an equal quantity of healthful urine, evaporated at the same time with great care and sagacity. The only kind of animal food that he can procure in sufficient quantity is blood, which he mixes with fat and a little meal. Even this homely fare he finds it difficult at prefent to procure regularly. He was always lean, and is now rather more so than before his fever ; but though he works very hard, he thinks himself stronger, and more fleshy, than when he left the Infirmary. He sleeps well; is regular in his belly, and free from every complaint, except occasional pains about the muscles of his breast and arms, anting obviously from the intense colds to which he has been very much exposed, as he plies near the river from morning to night. He is the father of several children, but since he has been seized with Diabetes—Coitus nullus. Erigitum nunquam : ne quidem femel rigefcit. About a month before he left the Infirmary, the other patient gave the same account of himfelf.