Experimental Diabetes Produced by the Administration of Glucose

A persistent increase in the concentration of blood glucose has frequently been considered a factor in the production of damage to the islands of Langerhans. Some of the experimental data suggesting that this may be so is as follows: (a) The experiments of Allen (1922) and Homans (1914) indicate that in subtotally depancreatized dogs or cats a period of hyperglycemia precedes the occurrence of hydropic degeneration of the beta cells, (b) In dogs (Dohan, Fish and Lukens, 1941) or partially depancreatized cats (Lukens and Dohan, 1942) injected with crude anterior pituitary extracts hyperglycemia precedes the hydropic degeneration of the beta cells, (c) The hydropic degeneration produced by anterior pituitary extract may be prevented or reversed by means of diet, insulin or phlorizin (Haist, Campbell and Best, 1940; Lukens and Dohan, 1942; Lukens, Dohan and Wolcott, 1943). All these measures tend to maintain a normal concentration of blood glucose.