Carnivore Diet

OBSERVATION XIII. - M. Raffaelle de P., from Pianella (Teramo), a staunch amylivore, diabetic for a long time, with 50 gr. of sugar per liter, was submitted to my cure on March 12, 1872: very rigorously observed only until March 30, when the patient began, but with much moderation, to eat starchy foods. The urine analyzed on April 22 and May 12, 1872 had a specific gravity of 1013, and was absolutely lacking in sugar. Although the patient had, so to speak, never eaten meat before this treatment, he was very well: the cure was maintained for a whole year. In May 1873, having become diabetic again, after another abuse of flour, he recovered again by a short resumption of treatment. In January 1874, his urine was still free of sugar.

OBSERVATION LXI. - M. Guiseppe d'A., Priest, 56 years old, from Acireale. According to the report of his attending physician, the distinguished doctor Gaetano Vigo, this patient has long abused flour and sweet dishes, and ate a lot while burning little, thanks to his way of life. After the death of his mother, which happened on February 14, 1871, and which grieved him a lot, he began to experience a great dryness of the mouth, with thirst, polyuria, and general prostration of strength: he also noticed that a few drops of urine which had fallen on black cloth, left a viscous white stain there. The chemical examination of the urine was not made until 1872, when the patient consulted Doctor Vigo, who found him notably emaciated, weakened to the point of not being able to take a short walk, and who observed in the urine, the specific weight of 1038, about 120 gr. of sugar per liter. The patient then followed the rigorous treatment prescribed by Doctor Vigo, and the urine became free of sugar; but he did not want to continue it beyond 25 days, and still indulging in the abuse of flour and candy, he soon relapsed into melituria, and more seriously than before. The urine reached the specific weight of 1042. The patient resumed cure, and, encouraged by Doctor Vigo, who understood the culmination of my therapeutic conception in this disease, he followed it this time in all its rigor, during four whole months, during which the weight of his body increased by 4 kilogr. Since August 10, 1872, sugar has not reappeared in the urine, the specific weight of which hovered around 1033, and the patient enjoyed the best health, although he had returned, this time with more moderation, to the use of strawberries. I really enjoyed receiving a letter from Dr Vigo, which expressly confirms my opinion as to the frequency of diabetes in these regions, a frequency which is directly related to poverty, especially since “ starchy or sweet food is almost exclusive, even for the upper class. And very cleverly, Doctor Vigo adds that idleness can greatly contribute to the development of diabetes; I believe that this is very probable, on account of the slowing down which idleness brings about in material renewal, in combustion in general, and, in amylivores, in the combustion of hydrocarbons, or of sugar. 

OBSERVATION LXII. MB, from Trani, client of the brave doctor Nanula, who noted the existence of diabetes in him, with 25 to 30 gr. of sugar per liter: the patient ate mainly starchy foods, and suffered from a notable general weakness, with polyuria and ardent thirst. After fifteen days of treatment, the urine still contained 15 gr. of sugar per liter, but they had decreased in quantity, and the state of strength was better: after a month, the sugar had completely disappeared: the patient remained healthy, regained his strength and was overweight: according to the latest information, he continues to enjoy the best health, although he has returned to diet mixed. 

OBSERVATION LXIII. - MG lawyer, from Trani, 60 years old, amylivore par excellence, was introduced to me as diabetic by Doctor Nanula, about three years ago; great prostration, impotence, thirst and especially troublesome polyuria. The urine contained 30 to 35 gr. of sugar per liter. Subjected to my cure, which he followed rigorously for two months, the urine became free of sugar; he rapidly improved in strength and nutrition, and resumed his pleadings in court with all the ardor of his best years. The urine examined again by the the patient remained healthy, regained his strength and was overweight: according to the latest information he continues to enjoy the best health, although he has returned to mixed food. Doctor Nanula these days are sugar free, although for several months he has been eating everything. 

OBSERVATION LXIV. M. Domenico Castronuovo, doctor from Carbone (Basilicata), 52 years old, almost exclusive amylivore, ill since October 1873, with unusual and increasing weakness of the lower limbs, virile impotence, aridity of the mouth, was recognized as diabelic by the doctor. Maturi, and on his advice began the treatment, rigorous meat diet (accompanied by hydrotherapy). On December 17th, the quantity of urine was reduced almost to normal, and Doctor Maturi observed by repeated analyzes the gradual decrease in sugar. The rigorous treatment was continued until January 30, 1874; after this day, the patient feeling cured returned to the mixed diet, and returned to it a little too abruptly, for he immediately allowed himself the use of bread, pastries, even sweetened coffee - and this above all because of the not very flourishing conditions in which he found himself, and which did not not allowed to maintain any longer the absolutely meaty diet. Nevertheless he was doing well, his strength was increasing: he was completely recovered. Towards the first days of February, he presented to the clinic, where he was received as a further observation of the disease. It was doing very well with the ordinary mixed regime, its temperature oscillating around 36°, 5 C .; with 64 to 68 beats, and 12 to 16 breaths per minute, the urine was kept completely free of sugar, its specific weight varied between 1022 and 1025, and its quantity sometimes exceeded, sometimes was not reaching one liter per 24 hours. On March 5, the patient left the clinic in the best condition. - This patient is cured rather quickly because he began and followed the rigorous cure soon after the onset of diabetes, while this one was still in the period of beginning diabetes. 

OBSERVATION LXV. Luigi B., 31 years old, merchant from Soriano (province of Rome). Suffering from great thirst and polyuria, with hunger and growing general weakness, weakness also of the reproductive organs, he was received at my clinic on March 5, 1874. He never ate only a little meat, but ate mainly flour. , especially abusing sweet pasta; he had neither moral emotions nor wounds: for ten years he had suffered a burning sensation in the epigastrium, which disappeared when several glasses of rum, some belching: these sufferings disappeared with the onset of diabetes. He suffered mental distress, but it was long after the existence of diabetes was discovered. He lost his father to phthisis. - At the clinic, he presented more than two and a half liters of urine within 24 hours; their specific gravity was 1042; they contained 277 grams of sugar per day. On March 10, he was put in treatment, he was given only meat, with lactic acid in water, and alcohol mixed with water, instead of wine: on March 11, he only eliminated 1400 cent. cub. urine, with a specific weight of 1021 and 15 grams of sugar per liter, about 22 grams per day. On March 12, Fehling's solution already indicated the disappearance of the sugar; the quantity of urine was 1970 CC, their specific weight 1015. - The urine remained free of sugar, their quantity oscillating between 1200 and 1700 CC, and their specific weight between 1018 and 1023. The temperature of this patient was maintained throughout his stay in the clinic between 36 °, 2 and 360.5 C .; only once did it rise to 370.9 C. due to a temporary febrile attack: the pulse oscillated between 54 and 74, rarely reaching 70 or 72; breaths were almost always a little frequent, between 20 and 24, without any lung disease. - The patient left the clinic on April 3, in the best state of health and strength: for some time he had returned to a moderate mixed diet.

OBSERVATION LXVI. - Mr. Francesco S., 60 years old, owner in Castellana di Bari, diabetic for a year, following abuse of flour and fruit, stubborn smoker, and gouty, was subjected to the rigorous cure by Doctor Nicola dell'Erba in November 1872. He was then 50 gr. of sugar per liter, with a polyuria of 5 to 6 liters per day; ten days after the start of treatment the urine was normal in quantity and quality, and all diabetic symptoms had disappeared. After a very rigorous cure, prolonged for two months and regularly followed, and a rationally graduated return to mixed food, he was able to return to the use of flour, although in moderation: even today he enjoys better health. 

OBSERVATION LXVII. - Mr. Carmine di F., from Alatri (prov. Of Rome), 54 years old, diabetic by abuse of flour since January 1872, resorted to the treatment of Dr. Raffaele Giorgi, when he suffered from an unquenchable thirst with discolored urine, of sugar (not dosed). Doctor Giorgi, after recognizing the diabetes, submitted the patient to my treatment, absolute meat diet and lactic acid; Only six days later, he examined the urine, he found only a few traces of sugar there: however the patient already felt improved: he was stronger, and no longer experienced the symptoms peculiar to diabetes. After 34 days of very rigorous treatment, the patient no longer being able to submit to such great penance, Doctor Giorgi allowed him to use bread in moderation; the urine remained free of sugar. Seeing him two months later, this patient presented normal urine, and was doing well anyway. From what the doctor wrote to me. Giorgi, in June 1874, the patient continued to do well; her urine remained normal. 

OBSERVATION LXVIII. - MN N., owner in Chieti, 40 years old, major consumer of hydrocarbons. In 1872 he suffered from eczema; in May 1873, he began to experience an extraordinary general prostration, especially a weakness of the lower limbs, with simultaneous emaciation, intense thirst, inextinguishable, and emission of very abundant urine: the morale was also affected, the patient became uneasy. , irascible, which he was not previously. In the first days of July 1873, talking with two distinguished doctors, he made them suspect that it was a question of diabetes mellitus: the urine was examined, and it was found that their specific weight was 1033, that they contained 40 gr. of sugar per liter, and that it was emitted 3 liters per day. Condemned to the meat diet, the sugar completely disappeared in three days, the specific weight of the urine fell to 1020, and from the first day of the treatment their quantity had fallen back to normal. Only the general weakness increased with the meat diet, a fact which is observed in several cases (but not in all) at the beginning of this radical modification in the diet, to give way later to a progressive increase in strengths. The cure was interrupted for ten days, and we saw the quantity of urine increase a second time, the sugar reappearing there, and their specific weight go up to 1030. After that the most rigorous treatment was resumed, and continued for six months: the last three months it is softened with a little grass. The sugar quickly disappeared from the urine again, and after six months of abstinence from all starchy or sweet foods, months without any trace of sugar reappearing in the urine, which, on the contrary, showed itself to be richer than before in uric acid and urates, since the patient had eaten everything. The latest news on this patient was communicated to me by Doctor Paolucci, my clinical coadjutor (I had them in September when I was correcting these tests); they confirm his complete good health, and the absolute absence of sugar in his urine. 

OBSERVATION LXIX. - Monsignor B., bishop of C., 49 years old, ate mainly hydrocarbons, and, without any other known cause, had been ill for some time, suffering from thirst with polyuria, general debilitation and mediocre weight loss, because he was fat before he got sick. His urine showed, in Primavera on January 27, 1874, a specific weight of 1033, an amount of 6 to 7 liters per day, and contained 100 gr. of sugar: 600 to 700 gr. per 24 hours. He submitted to the rigorous treatment, less according to the advice of the doctors, than by his own conviction, for he had been aware of our treatment, and had been able to realize, thanks to his great intelligence, of the nature of the disease and the curative method. At first, he wanted to experiment on himself the value of our treatment, and tried a little bread, after several days of absolute meat diet: but the constant appearance of sugar after each attempt, because this intelligent bishop had learned wonderfully at making use of chemical reagents, decided him to follow the most rigorous regimen for three consecutive months; from March 1 to May 30, for three full months, he followed him without the slightest interruption, with all the rigor I could demand. In June, he began to eat grass, bran bread, and drink wine, always examining the urine, which remained free of sugar; on June 23, they were again examined by Professor Primavera, who found them the specific gravity of 1008 (there was still a polyuria of 3 to 4 liters in 24 hours), but complete absence of sugar. 

OBSERVATION LXX. Canon Giovannandrea G., from Ischitella del Gargano, 67 years old, suffering from mild diabetes as a result of eating too much starch, and which seems to have started in September 1873 or some time before: examined by the professor Fede, who noted the presence of 50 gr. of sugar per liter of urine, he was treated with 5 ayril; from with all the rigor that I could demand. In June, he began to eat grass, bran bread, and drink wine, always examining the urine, which remained free of sugar; on June 23, they were again examined by Professor Primavera, who found them the specific gravity of 1008 (there was still a polyuria of 3 to 4 liters in 24 hours), but complete absence of sugar the first days of May, at the second analysis, the urine was free of sugar. At the end of June, Professor Fede again observed in this patient (whom I also saw in consultation with Fede) the complete absence of sugar, although he had returned for more than a month to the moderate use of sugar and starchy foods.

Lactic ACID IN DIABETES.—Dr. George William Balfour, in a paper read before the Medico-Chirurgical Society of Edin- burgh (L£dinburgh Medical Fournal, December, 1871), calls attention to some observations of Professor Cantani, of Naples, on the use of lactic acid in diabetes, and reports seven cases of this disease in which he has employed it. Prof. Cantani believes that in diabetes the question is not so much one of increased production as of defective combustion of sugar; and this defective combustion, he thinks, depends upon the production of a morbid form of glucose, which he terms para-glucose. This is incapable of being transformed into lactic acid, and therefore cannot be burned, but is passed unchanged in the urine. The consequence is that the heat of the body must be maintained at first by the combustion of the albuminates and fats, and later in the disease by that of the patient’s own tissues. He, in common with many modern pathologists, recognizes the liver as the organ mainly at fault in diabetes ; and his treatment is partly directed towards giving it as complete a rest as possible by depriving it of its pabulum, which is accomplished by subjecting the patient to a rigorous meat- diet, thus reducing to a minimum the introduction into the system of sugar-producing substances, and partly towards ar- resting the waste and ultimate complete degradation of the body, by supplying a combustible agent in a quantity sufficient for the wants of the body, so that the fats may continue to be stored, and the body thus gradually brought back to its normal standard; and he hopes that this restoration of the healthy standard of the constitution, coupled with the prolonged functional rest to the organ affected, may suffice to prevent any relapse into its morbid condition, even after a return to the ordinary dietetic conditions of modern civilized life.

The combustible agent which Cantani has selected is lactic acid; and this he administers in doses of from 70 to 150 grains daily, diluted in from eight to ten fluidounces of water. An exclusive meat-diet is insisted upon; for drink he allows water, either plain or with a little of the purest alcohol ; coffee, tea, and wine being prohibited.

His results have been somewhat surprising. In recent cases the cure is stated to be almost certain, and speedy; and even where an exclusive meat-diet is not persisted in, life is apparently prolonged, and many of the unfavorable results of diabetes are prevented, though the melituria is not arrested. The success which has been claimed for the treatment in which skim-milk is the exclusive article of diet is readily understood when we reflect that milk contains from three to six per cent. of lactin, which, under the influence of the caseous matter, becomes transformed into lactic acid.

OBSERVATION VIII. Mr. Filoteo V. de Furci (Chieti), 51 years old. He discovered diabetes in April 1871, after a period of indefinite discomfort: a diet almost exclusively starchy. He came to Naples, where, on October 4, Primavera found 60 gr. of sugar per liter of urine, and about 4 liters of urine per day. He was as thin as possible, very weak, impotent, suffering from thirst and hunger. He made a very rigorous cure of 53 days, eating a kilogram of meat a day: then gradually returned, following the rules laid down, to mixed food. On October 8, 1872, he returned to Naples, and the definitive disappearance of glycosuria was noted; MV was stronger than before being diabetic, and free from rheumatism to which he was prone in the past. Here is a patient to whom lactic acid did not give rheumatism, as Foster fears. In September 1874, the healing was maintained complete.

OBSERVATION XLI. Mr. Félice F., from Cajazzo, 66, owner, almost exclusive amylivore, recognized diabetic for two months, when he presented, in addition to the symptoms of diabetes, signs of mental alienation: he was submitted on April 4 with notable worsening of symptoms for eight months, presented, on April 26, 1872, urine with a specific weight of 1030, and containing 35 gr. of sugar plus half a gram of albumin per liter. The patient undergoing rigorous treatment, his urine was examined again on May 3: it was absolutely free from sugar; the same on May 15 and 30. Since then I have heard of the complete recovery of this patient, although he had long since returned to mixed food. 1872 to the rigorous cure: after four days the sugar had disappeared, and did not reappear, although the patient quickly returned to mixed food. In this case, we never did a quantitative analysis. The patient continued to be free from diabetes until the latest news, which is about four months old. 

OBSERVATION XLII. Doctor Francesco A., doctor of the province of Salerno, 53 years old, great lover of flour, was treated by Professor Primavera, who found, in the first analysis, 105 gr. of sugar per liter: after a week of rigorous treatment accomplished according to my prescriptions, the urine contained only 23 gr. of sugar per liter: the patient admitted that he had continued to eat a little bread: having left it completely, the sugar disappeared entirely, and the patient has enjoyed the best health ever since. 

OBSERVATION XLIII. - Mr. Nicola C., from Pisticci (Basilicata) 25 years old, almost exclusively amylivore, ill for an indefinite time, but suffering for a year from ardor, thirst, sexual debilitation, gastro catarrh -enteric with coprostasis, presented on July 22, 1873, according to the analysis of Professor Primavera, 135 gr. of sugar per liter of urine, and the specific weight of 1042: subjected at this time to the cure; from July 29 the urine was free of sugar; they were still in November 1873, according to what his doctor from Pisticci told me, who wrote to me to ask me for advice about an ischialgia from which this patient was suffering, his urine still remaining absolutely normal: they were also such in the last analysis, made by Professor Primavera on February 21, 1874, although the subject had for some time returned to mixed feeding, and even to mealy foods. I saw this patient again on June 24, 1874; his urine, again analyzed by the same professor, was absolutely free of sugar, although he ate during that time, flour in moderate quantities. 

OBSERVATION XLIV. - Baron Rodolfo A., from Naples, 34, has always made great use of starches; for only two years, he suffers from a great thirst with polyuria, his general condition progressively worsens, as well as weakness and thinness; this is why in October 1872, he had his urine examined; there was evidence of the presence of sugar. What frightened the patient the most, threatening of the lens; the various cures to which he was subjected had only a mediocre success, because he came to see me on March 30, 1873, with 100 gr. of sugar per liter of urine, according to the analysis of Professor Primavera, and the specific weight of 1040. Submitted to my treatment in all its rigor, from April 6 his urine was free of sugar, weighed 1020 and on the 10th April, 1015. Since that time he has been in perfect health. Professor Primavera has it. core examined urine on June 19; they were completely free of sugar, although the patient had, for some time now, neglected the rigorous treatment. He went well, until the last news received. 

OBSERVATION XLV. - Mr. Gennaro M., owner in Santa Maria di Capua Vetere, aged 40; he greatly abused flour and fruit, and also sweet dishes; for some time he had felt an ardor of the mouth, with thirst and polyuria, and in June 1873 he presented all the other symptoms of diabetes, sexual weakness, emaciation, frustration. In October, furunculosis was added to it, and this, by its obs- tession, decided the attending physician, Dr. of 110 gr. of sugar per liter, the specific weight of 1037, a polyuria of 5 to 6 liters per day (which makes 5 to 600 gr. of sugar per 24 hours), and the almost disappearance of urates. Submitted to my treatment in all its rigor, the urine no longer contained, after three days, only 50 gr. of sugar, and, after eight days as 25: after eight more days, sixteen from the start of treatment, the sugar had dropped to 4 gr., and in the fourth week to zero, with abundance of uric acid and urates. - I saw this patient again on December 16; I found him in perfect health, however he complained of a more marked muscular weakness even than before, although he had grown a lot in appearance: later he regained all his strength. - Doctor Fossataro also told me that this patient, when he took a lot of baking soda with lactic acid, had limpid urine with a slight sediment of urates after cooling (note that it was winter) , while taking little or no bicarbonates, it frequently emitted free uric sands. February 3, 1874, almonds, dairy, coffee and wine; his urine was always free of sugar: it remained as it was after the patient had resumed the use of bread and pastries in moderate doses. As to the causes, it should be noted that this patient has always abused farinaceous plants a lot: the occasional causes of diabetes, admitted by the patient, would have been repeated exposure to damp cold, and fear: but by examining the things up close, we see that these acted when the diabetes had started a long time ago: the shock of fear only drew more attention to the patient's state of health; At the most, we can admit after this moral emotion, an aggravation of the disease. - I saw the patient again in July 1874, he was perfectly well (and it was after four months of mixed feeding), flourishing in appearance and ruby ​​in color, with absolutely normal urine (according to Professor Primavera's analysis); it is therefore legitimate to consider this gentleman as perfectly cured. I had further news in September 1874: he was doing the best in the world. 

OBSERVATION XLVI. Canon Vincenzo C., 68 years old, from San Severino Lucano, a man endowed with a strong constitution, and a great hunter, feeding mainly on starch, suffered from renal colic, due to uric stones, such as attests to the report of his doctor, Doctor Santagata. For some time now he had suffered from great thirst with exaggerated appetite, and urinated much more profusely than usual. The urine examined on July 10, 1873, discovered sugar in a dose of 30 gr. per liter, showed the specific weight of 1025, with about 3 liters of urine per day; then subjected to the rigorous cure, from July 21 the urine was free of sugar; since then he has always been doing well. In January 1874 I had more good news from him, and yet he had returned to mixed feeding. 

OBSERVATION XLVII. - M. Filippo F., aged 34, silversmith in Naples, from a very healthy family, and himself of good health and a robust constitution, gradually experienced an increase in the quantity of urine, up to 16 or 20 urinations per day; at the same time, he felt a dry mouth, and a burning stomach. His urine having been examined by Professor Primavera, according to the advice of 100 gr. of sugar per liter: they were abundant up to 6 or 8 liters per day, which made from 6 to 800 gr. of sugar in 24 hours. The patient could absolutely indicate no cause for his illness; he had experienced no sorrow, no trauma, no morbid history: let us note, however, that he ate a lot of starchy foods, and extraordinarily abused sweet jellies. Submitted to my cure, and following it in all its rigor, the urine had, on September 15th, the specific weight of 1021, its quantity was reduced to a liter or a liter and a half, and the sugar had completely disappeared. Another analysis of December 11 gave the same result, but by the fact of Oliguria the specific gravity was 1027. He then began to eat pastures, milk and dairy products, cheese, olives, salads: he drank wine: later he tried a little piece of bread. He continued to be well, having returned to a moderate mixed diet, although he experienced very great sorrow in February 1874, owing to an illness of his father, who died on February 18, and that he was very afraid of "a recurrence" as a result of this great sorrow. At this time his urine was analyzed, for he was deeply struck; however on March 3 they were completely free of sugar, rare in their quantity (800 gr. in 24 hours) and specifically made 1026: they also contained very-numerous crystals of oxalate of lime; thus the oxa-. luria was substituted in this case, as in several others, for the sweet biabetes. This patient still enjoys today hui (September 1874) in the best health. 

OBSERVATION XLVIII.-MTR, of Roccasecca, 40 years old, amylivorous by habit, suffered for about two months, according to the report of his doctor, Doctor Giovinazzi, from an intense thirst with polyuria of 7 to 8 liters per 24 hours, poor hunger, great emaciation and weakness in walking. The chemical examination showed the presence of sugar, which was however not measured. Subjected on April 23, 1873 to the rigorous cure, the sugar, after four days, was reduced to traces: on August 29, urine was sent to Professor Primavera, and the latter, not knowing how it was previously recognized the existence of diabetes, believed in an erroneous diagnosis, so absolute was the absence of any trace of sugar. MTR continued to do well until the last news received, although it has returned to a carefully mixed feed.

OBSERVATION XLIX. The dream. M. A Camilleri, 62 years old, from Nadur del Gozo (Malta), lived to live on mealy and bonbons, a case observed in January 1873, by Dr. P. Sammut, of Gozo, and already published by him. In the grip of progressive weight loss and digestive disturbances for a year, when it was first observed, with a urine emission of 6 to 7 liters per 24 hours, and considerable thirst; these symptoms made Doctor P. Sammut suspect diabetes; urine analysis, with a specific gravity of 1048, confirmed this diagnosis. The mala was so weak at this time that he could not extinguish a candle within eight inches. Subject to my treatment, it improved rapidly: in a few days, the specific weight fell to 1032, after another eight days, to 1026. It was discovered that he secretly ate the sixth part of a biscuit, and this was deleted again: after another twelve days, the urine was completely free of sugar, according to Trommer's test, and weighed 1012 Dr P. Sammut notes that this is the first case of diabetes cured in the island of Gozo, where in the past all diabetics would die without remission (as everywhere else), from the sad consequences of this disease. 

OBSERVATION L. Doctor Salvatore Grima, 32 years old, from Casal Kala del Gozo (Malta), courageous amylivore, recognized as diabetic on March 29, 1873, by doctor P. Sammut, with 8 liters per day of urine, a specific weight of 1045: he had lost extraordinary weight. Subject to my treatment, his condition improved in a few days; from April 12, 1873, the urine was completely free of sugar, and all diabetic symptoms were gone; since then he has been doing well. This observation has already been published by Dr. P. Sammut.