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Interview
102 RD (Robin) Lawrence
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Pioneer of diabetes treatment. Also had diabetes.Born in Aberdeen in 1892. Died in London in 1968.
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Overview:
RD Lawrence developed diabetes in 1921, during his surgical training at Kings College Hospital. Thinking he had not long to live, he chose to end his days quietly in Florence. Near death in 1923, he received a telegram, summoning him back to Kings, with the dramatic news that insulin had just become available and `it works`! He was appointed Biochemist at Kings that year and later ran the hospital`s diabetic department until he retired in 1957. He devised the influential Line-Ration Diet and his books The Diabetic Life (1925) and The Diabetic ABC (1929) were reprinted well into the 1960s.
This is a recording of a speech made in 1953.
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1 While Jane Lawrence was researching her biography of her father-in-law, Robin, Lawrence`s grandson recovered a recording of a speech broadcast on Australian Radio in 1953 – the only recording of Lawrence`s voice before he had a stroke in 1957. [ 44 secs ] |  | 2 In 1934, he co-founded the Diabetic Association (later the British Diabetic Association, now Diabetes UK) with HG Wells and he was first president of the International Diabetes Federation, 1950-58. He explains why he thinks associations are so important. [ 62 secs ] | |
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| 01 I`ve been diabetic for 33 years. That`s why I`ve specialised in diabetes. Experience an advantage. What is diabetes? Body burns food like machine burns fuel. Normal person burns fuel completely. Diabetic can`t burn sugar. Excess causes thirst, fatigue & (in some) weight loss. | |
| | 02 Why? Greeks described symptoms but cause unknown until 30 years ago. Knowledge (derived from animal research) that pancreas fails to produce insulin revolutionary. Insulin restores health. Diabetes worldwide - more common in middle age. 2% of Australians. | |
| | 03 Two groups: (1) Mild - fat, middle-aged, not very ill, still produce some insulin. Restrict carbohydrate & their insulin copes. (2) Severe - insulin injections - need to balance intake of insulin & carbohydrate. Too much food causes excessive sugar, too much insulin causes weakness. | |
| | 04 Before insulin, diabetics died. Diabetics considered worthless. Prejudice remains. Diabetic associations combat prejudice & improve treatment. Future? Current research will lead to cure or better treatment. | |
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-t.jpg "At Aberdeen Grammar School (3rd from left, middle row)")
-t.jpg "With colleagues at Kings, 1921 (centre front, wearing spats)")
 and Charles Best (right) filmed in 1959-t.jpg "RDL (centre) and Charles Best (right) filmed in 1959")
