Tests Made at Montreal of New Type of Treatment
Montreal, Sept. 3 (CP). - Discovery of a new type of insulin for treatment of diabetes is reported by Dr. I. M. Rabinowitch, Director of the Department of Metabolism. Montreal General Hospital, and McGill University professor, in the current issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Contains Zinc.
The new type has been given the name of protomaine-zinc-insulin and differs from the original type and that recently discovered in Denmark, in that it contains zinc, Dr. Rabinowitch, noted diabetic specialist, says. Results with the insulin have been so satisfactory it has replaced the Danish insulin in diabetic treatments at Montreal General Hospital.
Dr. Rabinowitch declares use of the new insulin at the Montreal hospital is based upon discovery of Dr. D. A. Scott of the Connaught Laboratories, University of Toronto, that in animals, when zine is added to insulin, the injected solution has a more pro longed effect upon the blood sugar than insulin without zinc.
Tests Are Made.
To determine effects of zinc in the treatment of diabetes, it was necessary to develop an exact method of measuring this metal in small quantities, Dr. Rabinowitch's article says. This was done by Dr. J. S. Foster of McGill University, while Prof. C. H. Best of the Connaught Laboratories co-operated in preparing the different mixtures.
Addition of zinc has been found to increase the sensitivity of the diabetic to insulin, Dr. Rabinowitch reports. Severe diabetics, who ordinarily require two, three or more in- jections a day of the old insulin, find one injection of the new type each day sufficient. The increased activity of the new mixture is due to in- creasing the sensitivity of the diabetic to the injected insulin.