Edward Tolstoi (1897–1983) was a

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

who specialized in treating patients with

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

. He was well known for authoring several books on diabetes care that espoused the free diet approach.

Early life

Tolstoi was born in Russia and immigrated to the US when he was two years old. He was a 1919 graduate of

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

. He went on to earn a medical degree from Cornell Medical College in 1923. He was later affiliated with Cornell Medical College and New York Hospital.

Career

From the 1930s through the 1970s a controversy raged among diabetes caregivers. The free diet approach to diabetes care downplayed the importance of controlling

blood glucose Glycaemia, also known as blood sugar level, blood sugar concentration, or blood glucose level is the measure of glucose concentrated in the blood of humans or other animals. Approximately 4 grams of glucose, a simple sugar, is present in the blo ...

levels and emphasized preserving the lifestyle of the patient. The alternative, tight control, emphasized the importance of maintaining blood glucose levels within the normal range. Edward Tolstoi and

Elliott P. Joslin Elliott Proctor Joslin (June 6, 1869 – January 28, 1962) was the first doctor in the United States to specialize in diabetes and was the founder of today's Joslin Diabetes Center. Joslin was involved for seven decades in most aspects of diabete ...

were the two main authorities representing the two viewpoints. The two held a memorable in person debate in 1951 at the

New York Academy of Medicine The New York Academy of Medicine (the Academy) is a health policy and advocacy organization founded in 1847 by a group of leading New York metropolitan area physicians as a voice for the medical profession in medical practice and public health ...

. The controversy was ultimately decided in favor of tight control when the results of the

Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased a ...

were published in 1993.

Personal life

Tolstoi was married to Cecile Voice and had a daughter, Anne Tolstoi Wallach.

References

1897 births 1983 deaths American diabetologists Yale University alumni {{US-physician-stub