Charles Mazer

The effect of combined administration of chorionic gonadotropin and the pituitary synergist on the human ovary

Abstract In the human subject, in whom neither chorionic gonadotropin nor pituitary extracts exerts any appreciable influence on the ovaries (the latter because of lack of concentration), the combination of relatively small quantities of each produced definite stimulation and overstimulation of the ovaries in 20 of 23 patients who received the product preoperatively. Therapeutically, the combination of chorionic gonadotropin and the anterior pituitary extract evoked one or more menstrual flows in 19 of 23 severely amenorrheic women, some of whom had not menstruated for years, despite all other forms of treatment. Only two have thus far menstruated without further treatment. Injections of the combined extracts arrested dysfunctional uterine bleeding in 14 of 18 patients, 4 of whom were puberal girls. Only 2 of 8 women in whom anovular menstruation was presumably the main cause of the barrenness conceived promptly. Overdosage and the presence of other etiologic factors partly explain the lack of responsiveness of this group of patients. The increased effectiveness of chorionic gonadotropin with the addition of a pituitary extract containing very little of the gonad-stimulating hormones is variously explained as follows: 1. 1. That it represents merely the expression of the combined physiologic activity of the two gonadotropins. 2. 2. That chorionic gonadotropn probably converts a prohormone, supposedly present in the pituitary extract, into an active gonad-stimulating hormone. 3. 3. That most anterior pituitary extracts contain a principle capable of converting chorionic gonadotropin into a universal gonad-stimulating substance.

The therapeutic value of low-dosage irradiation of the pituitary gland and ovaries in functional menstrual disorders

Abstract Twenty-three of forty-seven women suffering from severe amenorrhea have been menstruating regularly without the stimulus of incidental pregnancies for periods averaging 2.3 years following low-dosage irradiation of the ovaries and pituitary gland. Eight of fifteen women suffering from a milder form of amenorrhea (oligomenorrhea) likewise were restored to normaley without the aid of incidental pregnancies. Ten additional patients of the twelve who conceived soon after x-ray treatment have been menstruating regularly for periods averaging 2.5 years. Ten of thirteen patients of childbearing age suffering from dysfunctional metrorrhagia of long duration were cured by one course of treatment. Associated sterility was relieved in twenty of the thirty-eight women who had no ascertainable cause to account for the condition other than menstrual disturbances. Primary dysmenorrhea was an associated symptom in fourteen of 102 patients treated. Five of the fourteen were completely and permanently relieved without the aid of incidental pregnancies. The menstrual rhythm of seventeen regularly menstruating women was not disturbed by the x-ray treatment. Seven of cleven amenorrheic women responded after a second or third course of treatment given at intervals of three months; the condition of the remaining four was not aggravated by repeated exposures. It is assumed, therefore, that the x-ray treatment was not responsible for the aggravation of the amenorrhea of the two patients who had received only single courses of treatment. Twenty-six healthy children were born to women who had received the treatment. These data indicate that the procedure is harmless.

The safety and advantages of office curettage

The results of a series of 305 consecutive office curettages are presented. The patients were subjected to the procedure because of either menometrorrhagia functional sterility amenorrhea premenstrual tension or abnormal breast hyperplasia. 5 early cases of adenocarcinoma were discovered. Only 2 patients had untoward reactions to the procedure which were temporary. Curettage provided valuable information regarding the etiology of the symptoms. Office curettage when performed by a trained gynecologist is a safe and useful procedure.

The therapeutic value of low-dosage irradiation of the pituitary gland and ovaries in functional menstrual disorders and sterility

Abstract Low-dosage irradiation of the pituitary gland and ovaries resulted in restoration of the menstrual function in 59 per cent of 106 cases of amenorrhea, 89 per cent of 18 cases of dysfunctional metrorrhagia during the childbearing age and in 57 per cent of 26 cases of dysfunctional menorrhagia. It had no effect in 3 cases of hypomenorrhea. The amenorrhea of 2 patients was presumably aggravated by the treatment. Low-dosage irradiation of the putuitary gland and ovaries in 26 women with normal menstrual cycles resulted in temporary amenorrhea of one who, however, had in the past shown a tendency to amenorrhea. Low-dosage irradiation of the pituitary gland and ovaries is highly effective in sterility of women with functional menstrual disorders but has very little, if any, effect in those who menstruate normally.

The effect of crystalline corpus luteum hormone, progesterone, on the ovaries and related endocrine organs

Abstract Unlike impure progestin products, progesterone, the crystalline corpus luteum hormone, administered in doses of 0.5 mg. thrice weekly for nine and one-half weeks to normal adult rats produced no inhibition of follicular growth, ovulation, and luteinization. The estrous cycles continued unabated. Nor was there any change in the average weight of the pituitary, adrenals, and ovaries. Evidence is adduced from the literature to emphasize that this quantity is more than enough for the physiologic needs of the rat. Larger doses, such as 1 mg. daily for thirty days or 4 mg. daily for twelve days, produced definite inhibition of follicular growth and prevented ovulation and luteinization. These effects are apparently the result of excessive and obviously unphysiologic dosage.