Major Events:
1921-
Frederick Banting and Charles Best extract insulin from a dogs pancreas, and the continue to experiment taking that insulin and injecting it into dogs whose pancreases have been removed. They discover that the animals blood sugar levels lower after the injection
This same year James Collip works until he discovers a way to purify the extract so that it can be used in humans.
1922-
The first human shot of insulin was delivered by syringe.
1923-
Eli Lilly and Company begins the first commercial production of insulin
1924-
Less than half of all babies born to diabetic mothers survive. Pricilla White states the Joslin Pregnancy Clinic where fifty years later Dr. Pricilla White has achieved a ninety percent survival rate.
Insulin and Syringe-
The introduction of insulin and the syringe is most arguably the biggest step in diabetic treatment history. This treatment saved hundreds of lives and to this day is still the first course of action in treating type one diabetes. There was one hospital in which numerous patients who were treated with insulin when it first stated to be used all woke from comas within minutes and hours of each other, it was as if they were walking form the dead.
Advancement of Syringes-
Glass Syringe-In the beginning of the twentieth century the syringe started out being made of glass. This glass syringe was reused over and over again, being sterilized between each injection. The needles were made from long, thick, steel that needed to be regularly resharpened on a kitchen whetstone. If a needle became dull an insulin injection could become much more painful.
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Plastic Syringe-In 1955 Roehr products introduced the first disposable plastic syringes. These new syringes were no longer made of glass but plastic but had a thinner needle. Being disposable these needles are only used once making it so that every injection is done with a sharp need, reducing user pain. As the century progressed the plastic syringe continued to advance to where the needle had bevels and lubricants to help making the use of a syringe more user friendly.
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- Becton Dickinson and Company begins production of a standardized insulin syringes in 1948. The American Diabetes Association, both designed and approved these syringes.
Before and After Insulin Treatment-
Below are pictures of patients who were on the starvation diet but were transferred to insulin. The great improvement is easily seen int the figures of all the patients.