History of Diabetes Goes Back Centuries

The early history of diabetes stretches back for centuries...in fact, to the time of the Pharaohs. Down through the years scientists from different countries have contributed to the knowledge that became the basis of modern diabetes treatments.

What has this history to do with the effects of diabetes on your family?

Well, consider...if it wasn't for the research done by these early men, we would not have insulin; we would not know how our diet and diabetes work together; and we would not have 'isles of langerhans' transplants being done.

The outlook for most diabetics would be grim. To be diagnosed with diabetes was like a death sentence. But thanks to these early researchers, diabetics can now live full, normal lives.

The history of diabetes started about 1500 B.C.E. One of the first symptoms of diabetes was noticed by an Egyptian doctor, Hesy-Ra. By keen obervation, his research lead him to identify a medical condition associated with frequent urination.

About 1000 years later, in 250 B.C.E. this medical condition was first called 'diabetes'. It is often referred to as 'diabetes mellitus'...the term 'mellitus' comes from the Latin word meaning honey. Researhers at that time noticed the sweet taste of urine associated with diabetes.

Even if diabetes was not fully understood by these early researchers, they did get somethings right. Ancient Greeks prescribed horseback riding as a form of exercise to help relieve the symptoms of diabetes. We now know that any type of exercising is good for diabetics.

Diagnosing procedures were crude back then...'water tasters' were used to taste for sugar in the urine.

In 1869, Paul Langerhans did research into the pancreas. The results of his studies proved to be invaluable for later researchers.

In 1966 the first pancreas transplant in humans was performed at the University of Manitoba in Canada. In 1999 the first successful isles of langerhans transplant was performed at the University of Alberta Hospital in Canada.

Because of the dedication of early researchers, the history of diabetes went from using ants to diagnose diabetes to being being able to transplant the isles of langerhans.

This is just a small glimpse into the contributions of early researchers into diabetes. For more informaton on the strides made by scentists read the following web pages.


Diabetes Time Line - 1500 B.C.E. to 250 B.C.E. | 2 B.C.E. to 1797 C.E. | During 1800s | 1901 C.E. to 2006 C.E.