Sweet Genes

Scientists from an Icelandic company deCODE genetics, have discovered a variant gene that leads to a sizable extra risk of Type 2 diabetes and is carried by more than a third of the American population. This is very important to develop a diagnostic test to identify people who carry that variant gene - so that they have an extra incentive to control diet and stay thin ! Now you may argue, that in our McDonald's dominated world that ain't happening.

In any case, diabetes has a very interesting history. Untill 11th century, diabetes was diagnosed by what they used to call 'water tasters' - you guessed it - who used to taste urine of those suspected having the disease and found it sweet tasting - thus the word 'mellitus' (Latin for honey) was added to its name. (Modern scientists have also discovered another variation called diabetes insipidus - but that is another story). And so such a diagnostic strategy continued till 1870's when during the seize of Paris in 1870 in the Franco-Prussian war, a French doctor Apollinaire Boucharrdat notices the disappearance of glycosuria in his diabetes patients due to the rationing of food and formulated the idea of individualized diets for his diabetes patients (and indirectly gave birth to the nutritionist's profession)

In its illustrious history, Paris has been attacked by and seized multiple times. Perhaps, the most important one being in 885 A.D by the Vikings, which resulted in the formation of France as a kingdom. Around the same time in history (known as the Viking Age), the Vikings crews from western Norway started to drop in on Ireland, capture an allotment of young Celtic women and sail off northwest to a remote island beyond the reach of retribution. The Island was Iceland and over time due to its remote geographical location and natural calamities, an almost unique homogeneous race developed.

Dr. Kari Stefansson saw this feature of Iceland as an unique opportunity while he was teaching at Harvard and raised private capital to start deCODE genetics to catalog the deviant genes that cause the most common human diseases. And thus the Type 2 diabetes variant gene was discovered !

Diabetes gene - water tasters - Franco Prussian War - Seize of Paris - Vikings Age - Iceland genealogy - Diabetes gene