V. On the non-existence of sugar in the blood of persons labouring under diabetes mellitus. In a Letter to Alexander Marcet, M. D. F. R. S. from William Hyde Wollaston, M. D. Sec. R. S

Abstract

My dear Sir, In reply to your inquiry respecting my experiments upon the non-existence of sugar in the serum of diabetic persons, which I have mentioned to you at different periods, I am really ashamed to reflect how long I have suffered them to remain neglected, when I consider their tendency to elucidate a curious point of physiological research. My first endeavours to detect sugar in the serum of the blood were made soon after perusing the second edition of Dr. Rollo’s Treatise on the Diabetes (which was published in 1798,) at the request of Dr. Baillie, who was so obliging as to furnish me with various specimens of diabetic blood and serum for this purpose.