230 Gonadotrophic Effects in Rhesus 



fraction which principally causes growth of the Graafian follicle, another 

 which it is necessary to add to effect its rupture. 



Since 1934 the writer has been interested in the clinical problem of increas- 

 ing the incidence of ovulation in the menstrual cycles of certain hypotypical 

 females of the Carnegie rhesus colony, for embryos were desired,^ and ovula- 

 tion is a prerequisite for conception. The results of 104 experiments were pub- 

 lished in 1938,^ but they do not inspire enthusiasm. In 104 experiments only 

 seven ovulations were observed which could reasonably be attributed to the 

 treatment. It is now possible to report 41 further experiments performed on 

 33 females in the last three years. The results were critically controlled as be- 

 fore by a prior study of the subjects, by palpation, by laparotomy, and by 

 histological examination of biopsied or autopsied material. The following 

 variations in technique were instituted: both lower and higher dosages were 

 employed; injections were begun a week before the next expected menstrual 

 period, so as to allow an additional week before the middle of the following 

 menstrual interval for the slow building up of the ovaries; intravenous per- 

 fusion over a period of eight hours was tried twice; estrogens were injected 

 concomitantly with the gonadotropes; besides Gonadogen Upjohn (PMS), 

 good anterior pituitary extracts (AP) were made available. 



One batch of FSH was prepared by Dr. H. Jensen of E. R. Squibb and Sons 

 and used alone (with good results), or with Follutein Squibb (PU-APL) in 

 proportion of 1:2 or 1:10. In the last proportion the combination acted like 

 APL itself, which Engle" ' long ago showed to be inert in the monkey. 



A second potent AP extract rich in FSH was furnished by the Abbott Com- 

 pany through Dr. Hazel. The extract had been exposed briefly to tryptic diges- 

 tion after the method of McShan and Meyer, presumably to increase the 

 FSH:LH ratio by differential digestion of the LH. 



It should be emphasized that in all cases subjects were selected which were 

 (and because they were) not ovulating at the time of the experiments, hence 

 were presumably unreactive to their own intrinsic hormones. 



Results 

 The results of 38 experiments done on 30 animals may be tabulated as follows: 



Extract Ovulations Overstimulation Without effect 



Gonadogen 3 7 5 



Gonadogen, 1,000 U.U.* o 3 o 



FSH — Jensen 1 2 o 



FSH — Jensen + Follutein i:2.... o i o 



FSH — Jensen + Follutein 1 : 10. . . 009 



FSH— Abbott 121 



Gonadotrope + Estrogen o i 6 



6 16 21 



* Upjohn units, or Cartland-Nelson units (lo U.U. = loo Cole-Saunders units): the minimum 

 total dose which, administered to 21- to 23-day-old rats weighing 3S~4S gni., in ^ equal subcu- 

 taneous injections at daily intervals, will produce at autops/, 96 hours after the first injection, a mean 

 ovarian weight of 65 mg., which is 4-5 times that of the controls (Amer. Jl. Obstet. & Gynecol. 

 38:1024, 1939). 



