perspectivehistorical
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For most of human history, a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was a quick death sentence. Before the 1920s, the only treatment was a starvation diet, which only bought a few extra months. The discovery of insulin in 1921 changed everything overnight. It remains one of the greatest medical breakthroughs in history, turning a fatal disease into a manageable, lifelong condition.
controversy
Supporting arguments
- Prior to insulin, patients survived only on extreme starvation diets.
- The extraction of insulin from animal pancreases saved lives almost instantly.
- Modern synthetic insulin has made treatment safer and more precise.
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