Joseph A. Johnston

A long-term evaluation of the juvenile diabetic.

Summary In the regulation of diabetes mellitus in children, control is of the utmost importance when prevention of serious vascular complications is considered. Retinopathy and albuminuria were the most frequently encountered vascular complications. Complications of this sort first became detectable at an average of eleven years eight months after the initial diagnosis. There is an increased need for insulin and calories as growth progresses. A peak is reached at puberty, followed by a drop and then stabilization of both insulin and caloric requirements.

The celiac syndrome

Summary In summary, we suggest that chronic intestinal indigestion may beprecipitated by a number of factors, infectious, emotional, allergic, but, that since all of those suggested do not commonly produce the disorder in otherwise normal children, Andersens4 assumption of an underlying constitutional defect seems valid, and that in some instances this defect is a thyroid deficiency, while in others it is in the nature of a secondary hypothyroidism resulting from nitrogen and caloric deficits, in which cases thyroid in small doses is indicated for its anabolic effect. We do not feel that thyroid deficiency explains all cases but that a numberwill be found in whom the defect will be referable to other mechanisms relating to protein synthesis. The role of the liver in these cases warrants further study.

An evaluation of a health program for foster home children in an industrial community

Summary The mortality was studied in a group of 27,374 children over a twenty-year period and a comparison was drawn between a program in which were stressed prophylaxis and constant attention to an improved general state and one in which medical care was given chiefly during illness. A striking decrease in mortality was demonstrated, which was greater than could be attributed to the improvement noted in the figures for the population at large and for similar groups of wards of charitable agencies.