The Intramuscular Injection of Dextrose

The value of the parenteral administration of dextrose, when the condition of the patient precludes its administration otherwise, is quite generally appreciated. It is employed to advantage in practically every condition in which a patient is unable to take food in the normal manner. This includes comatose states; toxemias; local gastric disease and other conditions accompanied by nausea and vomiting; infections, such as pneumonia and typhoid, in which dextrose by mouth is avoided because of its tendency to favor tympanites; local intestinal conditions, as many diarrheas, which may be aggravated if carbohydrate is given orally, and other conditions too numerous to mention in a brief review. Dextrose is of value to the body not only because it is a readily convertible source of energy but also because it is necessary for the proper catabolism of fat, which, next to glycogen, is the principal source of energy for the body. The