The Starvation Treatment of Diabetes

In the early years of the twentieth‑century a bold new method for managing diabetes began to attract attention. Built on Dr. Frederick M. Allen’s “starvation treatment,” the approach replaces ordinary meals with a tightly controlled fast, supplemented only by modest calories from whiskey‑infused coffee or clear broth. The goal is to drive the body into a sugar‑free state while carefully monitoring urine tests and the patient’s weight.

This compact guide translates that demanding regimen into a practical handbook for the busy clinician. It offers step‑by‑step diet tables, gram‑level calculations of carbohydrates and proteins, and straightforward instructions for handling acidosis, exercise, and gradual re‑feeding. Updated with fresh material in its second edition, the book equips practitioners with the tools they need to apply the treatment safely and effectively, without requiring exhaustive nutritional research of their own.