168 



THE BLOOD IN DIABETES MELLITUS. 



[BOOK I. 



F. THE BLOOD IN DIABETES MELLITUS. 



The constant and characteristic feature of the blood in this disease 

 is the presence of an excess of glucose. 



There are not wanting facts which point to other less inves- 

 tigated changes in the blood which supervene in the course of 

 the disease, such as for instance a large increase of the fatty matter 

 of the blood and the formation of acetone. 



increase in Whilst in health, the amount of glucose amounts on 



the glucose of an average to about 0'9 parts per 1000 p.c. (Pavy), in dia- 

 tiie Blood. betes it may, according to the gravity of the case, be 



several times as great. In those cases where the urine contains a 

 large percentage of sugar, the blood likewise is very rich in that 

 constituent, as will be seen by the accompanying table taken from 

 Dr Pavy 1 .- 



COMPAKATIVE STATE OF BLOOD AND UEINE IN DIABETES. 



In the course of diabetes mellitus there is apt to 

 occur a peculiar group of symptoms (first alluded to by 

 Prout, though only carefully studied of late years by 

 Kussmaul, Petters, Kaulich, Sanders and Hamilton), 



1 The Croonian Lectures on certain points connected with Diabetes delivered at the 

 Royal College of Physicians, London, 1878. 



Formation 

 of Acetone in 

 Blood. Aceton- 



aemia. 





