THE GONADOTROPIC HORMONES 



and the excretion of gonadotropic hormones disappeared 

 after the administration of oestradiol benzoate (4,000-22,000 

 rat-units; apparently as many as 4,000 R.U, were adminis- 

 tered at one time). Enormous doses of oestradiol benzoate 

 have been administered to women-'^ so that the excretion of 

 gonadotropic hormone is prevented and uterine bleeding may 

 appear following treatment (500,000-1,500,000 mouse-units 

 during 20-60 days: Jones and MacGregor, 1936; 200,000 

 [or more] mouse-units with or without progesterone: Zondek, 

 1937). According to Zondek (1936), 200,000,-300,000 mouse- 

 units of "folhcle-hormone" may delay menstruation 6-70 

 days. He contended that this treatment prevented the secre- 

 tion of the pituitary luteinizing hormone so that the develop- 

 ment of the corpus luteum was inhibited. Also he believed 

 that the treatment increased the rate of secretion of follicle- 

 stimulating hormone. His results should be compared with 

 those of others who used animals and thus could control their 

 experiments better [vide infra) J'" 



Other experiments in male animals will be referred to brief- 

 ly. -^^ Clauberg (1936) believed that a single dose of 5,000 

 mouse-units of "follicle-hormone" to adult male mice in- 

 creased their sexual activity and fertility, partly by causing 

 an increased liberation of gonadotropic hormone by the pitui- 

 tary and partly by bringing about a hyperemia of the genital 

 tract. According to Tuchman (1936), the administration of 

 0.4 mg. of "foUiculin benzoate" (or i mg. of i-2-benzpyrene) 

 once weekly for 4 weeks causes a cessation of spermatogenesis 

 and a hypertrophy of interstitial tissue in the male guinea 

 pig. In male animals oestrogens usually bring about regres- 

 sive changes in the testes, especially in the germinal epithe- 



^■' In the menopause or with primary or secondary amenorrhea or with amenor- 

 rhea following ovariectomy. 



^s Marx, Catchpole, and McKennon (1936) concluded that the uterus retards the 

 onset of the menopause. For example, the clinical and hormonal disturbances char- 

 acteristic of the menopause appeared earlier after complete hysterectomy than after 

 supravaginal hysterectomy. 



^^ See also p. 81. 



[83] 



