History of Diabetes

History of Diabetes • With its description as a lifestyle-related disorder, diabetes may seem to be an affliction of modern times; a result of easy living, 21stcentury conveniences like the internet, packaged foods, etc. • While diabetes has definitely mushroomed in these recent times, there are references to the disease dating back centuries. Read More

Early Origins of Diabetes • The earliest mention of diabetes comes in the form of a papyrus scroll recorded by physician Hesy-Ra back in 1552 BC. • Around the same time, a few other healers, Sushruta, Arataeus, and Thomas Willis, were known to be working on a treatment for diabetes. • Other treatments of the time included alcohol and over-eating. • These were prescribed to balance the loss of fluids, weight, etc. • When that didn’t work, healers were also known to advise starvation diets. Read More

Discovery of Other Symptoms & Type 1 Diabetes • Moving down the centuries to 980 AD, there is a record of a Persian healer, Avicenna who gave a detailed account of diabetes mellitus, in which he described symptoms like frequent urination, and decline of sexual functions