Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1957, Page 12

18
Eitt sindur um sukursjúkuna í Føroyum
SUMMARY
The first known case of diabetes in The Faroe Islands was recorded
in the year 1883; the next case in 1906. From thence onward to 1920
16 deaths were recorded. The author has been practitioner in the medb
cal district of Eiði from june 1920 to june 1952 at which latter year
there were 2300 inhabitants in the district, and before those 32 years
only one person here, a woman, has suffered from diabetes; she died
of this disease in 1914, 40 years of age. The next case occured in 1931
and from 1931 to 1952 17 persons were suffering from diabetes in the
medical district of Eiði. Ten of those cases were still living in june
1952. If this disease had the same spread over all The Faroe Islands
— and this is true — the 10 cases of Eiði medical district in 1952 would
answer to 140 diabetic patients in the Isles which is 4,4 pro mille.
There is every reason to believe that this explosive growth of dias
betes is due to a very profound change in the diet of the inhabitants
during the past 150 years. In 1791—98 there were no potatoes in The
Faroe Islands. The ration of bread was about 250 grams for an adult.
In 1858—1860 ration of bread and potatoes for every inhabitant was
respectively 220 and 144 grams. In 1935 the amounts were 343 and 389
grams, hereto must be added large quantities of other carbohydrates
which can not be weighed or stated.
BÓKMENTIR
1. Berg A.: Bidrag til kundskab om Faerøerne. Nykøbing S. 1889.
2. Chrístensen, Jørgen: Ugesk. f. læger 1953, 115: 528.
3. Dreyer, Karen & Alfred Hey: Ugesk. f. læger 1953, 115: 1069.
4. Hansen, Søren: Glykosuri og psykose. Ugesk. f. læger 1926,
88: 127.
5. Heiberg, K. A. &. Poul Heiberg: Acta med. Scandinav. 1925: Vol.
LXII, 126.
6. Horstmann, Poul: Ugesk. f. læger 1950, 112: 1437.
7. Kaas, Johan: Bibliot. f. læger 1921, 115: 231 og 273.
8. Landt, Jørgen: Forsøg til en beskrivelse over Færøerne. Kbhn. 1800.
9. Lund, N. Chr.: Iagttagelser fra Færøerne, navnlig angáende epb
demiske sygdomme. København 1884.