This photo was taken in 1922 of a little girl who was suffering from diabetes. She was waiting for the end of her life… until a new experimental treatment called “insulin” was used.
This photo was taken in 1922 of a little girl who was suffering from diabetes. She was waiting for the end of her life… until a new experimental treatment called “insulin” was used.
This was 11 year old Elsie Needham who was administered to Toronto children’s hospital suffering from a diabetic coma. The doctors told the parents Elsie was a hopeless case.
It is truly sad, that the richest country in the world, has made Insulin so expensive, that many diabetics are forced to choose whether they purchase insulin or food…causing lots of them to die prematurely. Diabetes is one of the most debilitating deases. It effects ones eyesight, wounds are very slow to heal, heart, liver and kidney damage, not to mention major problems with feet/toes because of poor blood circulation
Outside-Light-8405 on
As a T1d since an early childhood, this is emotional to see. I’m so grateful for the advent of insulin and all the improvements along the way
Little-Carpenter4443 on
“Insulin was discovered and developed in Canada. In 1921–1922, researchers at the University of Toronto—Frederick Banting, Charles Best, James Collip, and John Macleod—succeeded in isolating and purifying insulin, creating the first effective treatment for diabetes. This breakthrough remains one of Canada’s most significant medical achievements.”
StripperWhore on
I love how much more prominent her freckles are in the second picture, possibly suggesting she has been outside more playing vs being sick in bed. : )
Fluffy_Respond_7405 on
Interestingly the Banting diet (keto) came about too.
Ok_Concentrate4461 on
I have two T1ds in my classes. The amount of time they spend popping down to the nurse every day is significant, and always makes me grateful that they are able to have that care.
ArkieRN on
In order to keep these children alive they literally starved them to keep them from going into a diabetic coma and dying.
They were given small amounts of protein and no carbs to try to keep their blood sugar from rising to dangerous levels.
Using porcine insulin was a miracle for those children. I say children because at that time type 1 diabetics didn’t live too long after diagnosis they certainly didn’t survive until adulthood.
Steampunky on
Insulin needs to be free of cost.
Vivid__Data on
One of the reasons they caught it early for me is I suddenly became stick thin. I was wetting the bed frequently due to ketone buildup, but bedwetting CAN be normal for kids around that age.
However my mom and grandma knew something was off about how skinny I was!
Intelligent_Dog5072 on
My dad said he learned about diabetes when he was 13. He thought “man I hope I never get that.” Then he got it. He died at age 56.
I had a great aunt I never met who died of diabetes. I’m so glad there’s treatment now.
skdetroit on
Gosh this made me instantly cry!! It’s both so sad seeing a little kid so close to death and then happiness at something so common now saving her and is saving so many other kids/people!
Taurius2 on
It’s wild to think T1D is an auto-immune disease. The body literally thinks the pancreas is a foreign cell, killing all/most of the insulin producing cells. Wonder if there’s prescreening for CD8+ T Cells that are prone to attack the islets.
skript_kitty_py on
its crazy just how emaciated she was. Sometimes I feel like we forget just how much of a miracle drugs like insulin are
EnvironmentalBar3347 on
Heart warming, she’s so healthy in the second picture, truly her life was saved.
Mahaloth on
Starvation was pretty much the only treatment to extend life.
314159265358979326 on
>In 1922, the scientists went to a hospital ward with diabetic children, most of them comatose and dying from diabetic keto-acidosis. This is known as one of medicine’s most incredible moments. Imagine a room full of parents sitting at the bedside waiting for the inevitable death of their child. The scientists went from bed to bed and injected the children with the new purified extract – insulin. As they began to inject the last comatose child, the first child injected began to awaken. Then one by one, all the children awoke from their diabetic comas. A room of death and gloom became a place of joy and hope.
UnPrecidential on
Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) can hit at any time. I was starting to look like pic 1 when I was 48 years old. T1D is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system attacks the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. Without insulin she and I would be dead.
Ornery-Practice9772 on
and in america people are dying because they cant afford to buy insulin🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Difficult_Space3090 on
I got type 1 diabetes 2 years ago at the age of 47 (hereditary). I was trying to quit coffee and had weird symptoms. 3 weeks in to this, dizzy, lost 30lbs, always thirsty, and many other symptoms. I went to the Dr., They ordered immediate blood work. 2 hours later, they called and said we’re sending an ambulance to your home, get in! Spent a few days in the ER with a blood sugar level of 46. (It should be between 3 – 15). Life changing that’s for sure.
kawthar222 on
I am reading sonya sotomayers autobiography and she was diagnosed with childhood diabetes. At the time it was a very serious diagnosis but insulin was coming out
gunpowder_gelatine7 on
My grandpa had a story like this! He was type 1 diabetic as a child, and his parents and doctors thought he would die. Then, when insulin became available, he was able to live a normal life.
27 Comments
This was 11 year old Elsie Needham who was administered to Toronto children’s hospital suffering from a diabetic coma. The doctors told the parents Elsie was a hopeless case.
It is truly sad, that the richest country in the world, has made Insulin so expensive, that many diabetics are forced to choose whether they purchase insulin or food…causing lots of them to die prematurely. Diabetes is one of the most debilitating deases. It effects ones eyesight, wounds are very slow to heal, heart, liver and kidney damage, not to mention major problems with feet/toes because of poor blood circulation
As a T1d since an early childhood, this is emotional to see. I’m so grateful for the advent of insulin and all the improvements along the way
“Insulin was discovered and developed in Canada. In 1921–1922, researchers at the University of Toronto—Frederick Banting, Charles Best, James Collip, and John Macleod—succeeded in isolating and purifying insulin, creating the first effective treatment for diabetes. This breakthrough remains one of Canada’s most significant medical achievements.”
I love how much more prominent her freckles are in the second picture, possibly suggesting she has been outside more playing vs being sick in bed. : )
Interestingly the Banting diet (keto) came about too.
I have two T1ds in my classes. The amount of time they spend popping down to the nurse every day is significant, and always makes me grateful that they are able to have that care.
In order to keep these children alive they literally starved them to keep them from going into a diabetic coma and dying.
They were given small amounts of protein and no carbs to try to keep their blood sugar from rising to dangerous levels.
Using porcine insulin was a miracle for those children. I say children because at that time type 1 diabetics didn’t live too long after diagnosis they certainly didn’t survive until adulthood.
Insulin needs to be free of cost.
One of the reasons they caught it early for me is I suddenly became stick thin. I was wetting the bed frequently due to ketone buildup, but bedwetting CAN be normal for kids around that age.
However my mom and grandma knew something was off about how skinny I was!
My dad said he learned about diabetes when he was 13. He thought “man I hope I never get that.” Then he got it. He died at age 56.
The Memory Palace did an amazing [episode](https://thememorypalace.us/elizabeth/) related to this.
One of the most impactful medical milestones.
Holy shit
I had a great aunt I never met who died of diabetes. I’m so glad there’s treatment now.
Gosh this made me instantly cry!! It’s both so sad seeing a little kid so close to death and then happiness at something so common now saving her and is saving so many other kids/people!
It’s wild to think T1D is an auto-immune disease. The body literally thinks the pancreas is a foreign cell, killing all/most of the insulin producing cells. Wonder if there’s prescreening for CD8+ T Cells that are prone to attack the islets.
its crazy just how emaciated she was. Sometimes I feel like we forget just how much of a miracle drugs like insulin are
Heart warming, she’s so healthy in the second picture, truly her life was saved.
Starvation was pretty much the only treatment to extend life.
>In 1922, the scientists went to a hospital ward with diabetic children, most of them comatose and dying from diabetic keto-acidosis. This is known as one of medicine’s most incredible moments. Imagine a room full of parents sitting at the bedside waiting for the inevitable death of their child. The scientists went from bed to bed and injected the children with the new purified extract – insulin. As they began to inject the last comatose child, the first child injected began to awaken. Then one by one, all the children awoke from their diabetic comas. A room of death and gloom became a place of joy and hope.
Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) can hit at any time. I was starting to look like pic 1 when I was 48 years old. T1D is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system attacks the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. Without insulin she and I would be dead.
and in america people are dying because they cant afford to buy insulin🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
I got type 1 diabetes 2 years ago at the age of 47 (hereditary). I was trying to quit coffee and had weird symptoms. 3 weeks in to this, dizzy, lost 30lbs, always thirsty, and many other symptoms. I went to the Dr., They ordered immediate blood work. 2 hours later, they called and said we’re sending an ambulance to your home, get in! Spent a few days in the ER with a blood sugar level of 46. (It should be between 3 – 15). Life changing that’s for sure.
I am reading sonya sotomayers autobiography and she was diagnosed with childhood diabetes. At the time it was a very serious diagnosis but insulin was coming out
My grandpa had a story like this! He was type 1 diabetic as a child, and his parents and doctors thought he would die. Then, when insulin became available, he was able to live a normal life.
Well did it work?!
i also have the betes and am glad for insulin