FATTY ATROPHY FROM INJECTIONS OF INSULIN: REPORT OF TWO CASES

Since January, 1922, when insulin was first injected into a patient with diabetes mellitus the medical profession has been alert to the appearance, either locally or systemically, of any deleterious effects from it. Pain from the injection of insulin is slight; otherwise children would not be so ready to give it to themselves. In the early period of insulin injections, sterile abscesses and superficial necrosis sometimes occurred, presumably because of impurities contained or of the preservatives used. However, with better preparations of insulin practically all untoward effects from injection have been eliminated.I am reporting here two cases of unusual localized subcutaneous fatty atrophy at the sites of insulin injections which have been observed recently in the Mayo Clinic. I have been unable to find reports of such cases in the literature.REPORT OF CASESCase 1.—A woman, aged 34, was admitted to the clinic, April 22, 1926. The family history was negative except that a great-great-uncle had died from cancer of the lip, and a great-uncle had died from cancer of the stomach. The patient had two children living and well. Cholecystectomy and