Diabetes I, The Canary in the Cell

Miners used to bring a canary into the mine to warn of gas. If the canary rolled over (a relatively small quantity of gas would do it), the miners knew there was danger and hurried out of the mine.

Diabetes I can be viewed as the canary in the body of humanity.

Diabetes I, aka child diabetes, is presently increasing by 3% a year in the world and is estimated to double in a few years. Diabetes I knocks out the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin. It strikes healthy children and has nothing to do with diet. Although the cause is unknown, some environmental factor seems to be the culprit.

Insulin is one of the oldest, most basic and smallest of the proteins produced by the body. It regulates the intake of energy to the cell. It doesn’t get more basic than that. Without synthetic insulin injections, several times daily forever, death occurs within a week.

We, humanity, have created conditions that destroys the ability for some children to produce insulin. This infliction strikes more and more children throughout the world every year. It is also moving upward in age; even adults are falling victim to diabetes I.
________

Ultasium: What are the Homo sapiens doing about this?
Gid: Researchers are trying to find a cure. The families dealing with diabetes try to support one another. The general public is kept out of the discussion.
Ultasium: That doesn’t seem very sapient.
Gid: They have the ability to be sapient, but the people in control keep them uninformed.
Ultasium: Why do they do that?
Gid: To stay in control.

“Measure standard not in wealth,
but in smiles and health.”
Dartwill Aquila

(Tomorrow: Wet Webs in the Night)