THE PITUITARY BODY 



daily for 9-20 days; Chew and others, 1935). Nicolle (1936) 

 concluded that the hormone causes a reticulocytosis in the 

 rabbit, whereas oestrone has the opposite effect. In the rab- 

 bit, also, Wilson (1937) observed a marked leukocytosis in 

 normal female rabbits 5-8 hours after injection. Repeated 

 injections did not produce this effect. Wilson was not con- 

 vinced that this was a specific effect. 



Prolan appears not to be of value in the treatment of acne 

 vulgaris (total dose about 5,700 rat-units over 8-1 1 weeks; 

 Williams and Nomland, 1937). Moffat (1937) believed that 

 small doses of prolan may cure "menstrual migraine"; how- 

 ever, he gave no evidence that such treatment is of specific 

 importance. According to Steinbach and Klein (1937), ex- 

 perimental tuberculosis caused by a standardized dose of 

 bovine bacilli in guinea pigs takes a much less severe course, 

 if extract containing prolan or pregnant-mare serum be in- 

 jected repeatedly. A similar effect could not be observed 

 following the administration of anterior pituitary extract. 



The contractile activity of the isolated ureter of the pig 

 is not affected by the addition of 500 rat-units of prolan to 

 150 cc. of bath fluid (Schmitz, 1937). 



The experimental augmentation or inhibition of the gonado- 

 tropic effects of prolan, i. Augmentation. — It is well known 

 that gonadotropic extracts of the pituitary (or probably de- 

 rived from the pituitary as in the urine of spayed women) may 

 enormously enhance the gonadotropic action of prolan, as 

 indicated by hypertrophy of the ovary of the immature ro- 

 dent. Probably the follicle-stimulating component of such 

 extracts is reponsible for this synergism. The luteinizing ef- 

 fects of prolan can be manifested to a maximum extent, if 

 the ovaries are properly prepared by widespread growth of 

 follicles. Non-specific augmentation, as with ZnS04, usually 

 cannot be demonstrated if prolan instead of anterior pituitary 

 extract is used as the gonadotropic agent. '^ 



'-I For an apparent exception see Emery (1937). 



[138] 



