S. C. Freed 



197 



then hexestrol. Some patients were unable to undertake the entire course of 

 assay due to such reasons as faikne to follow directions satisfactorily and re- 

 fusal to continue therapy because of unpleasant symptoms which developed. 

 The following table contains the results of assay of both estrogens by the 

 above-described method, together with the incidence of unpleasant symptoms. 



TABLE 1 

 Therapeutic Response of Menopausal Patients following Administration of Hexestrol 



AND DiETHYLSTILBESTROL BY MoUTH 



Hexestrol 



Diethylstilbestrol 



Dailv dose 



Incidence of toxic reactions 



• NHD, nausea with or without dizziness and headache; N, nausea, H, headache; D, dizziness. 



A number of patients were questioned at certain times as to which of the 



two preparations they preferred. The results of this questionnaire are as 



follows: 



TABLE 2 



28 found 2.5 mg. daily hexestrol equal to 0.5 mg. daily diethylstilbestrol 

 14 found 2.5 mg. daily hexestrol better than 0.5 mg. daily diethylstilbestrol 

 4 found 2.5 mg. dailv hexestrol worse than 0.5 mg. daily diethylstilbestrol 



34 found 5 mg. daily hexestrol equal to i mg. daily diethylstilbestrol 

 6 found 5 mg. daily hexestrol better than i mg. daily diethylstilbestrol 

 8 found 5 mg. daily hexestrol worse than i mg. daily diethylstilbestrol 



It is apparent from the data contained in table 1 that a satisfactory thera- 

 peutic dose of diethylstilbestrol is 0.5-1.0 mg. daily, and an equivalent thera- 

 peutic dose of hexestrol is 2.5-5.0 mg. daily, the minimal effective therapeutic 

 doses being 0.5 mg. diethylstilbestrol and 2.5 mg. hexestrol daily. It will be 

 noted that there was a larger number of patients who failed to respond to 

 5 mg. daily of hexestrol than to 2.5 mg. daily of the same substance. This 



