OOPHORECTOMY AND THE METABOLISM 37 



inspection of adult animals which have undergone General 

 oophorectomy we can detect no outward alteration osphorec- 

 except perhaps some degree of adiposity, yet apparently tom y- 

 there is a constant depression of the total metabolism, 

 with alterations in regard to the calcium retention and 

 phosphorus excretion as shown by the urinary analyses. 

 On the other hand, we know from clinical experience 

 that easily recognizable changes may occur in women 

 in whom an artificial menopause has been induced by 

 oophorectomy. At the same time, it has been a matter 

 of very lively speculation why one woman should suffer 

 with all manner of symptoms when her ovaries are 

 removed, and another escape with very little or no dis- 

 comfort. This is another reason why experimentation 

 on animals has to be very carefully considered. The 

 metabolism of women is much more easily disturbed 

 than that of the lower animals ; and psychoses and 

 neuroses, which are not observed after oophorectomy 

 in animals, are often the source of the greatest distress in 

 women. 



Recently Hoskins and Wheelon 1 have shown experi- Oophorec- 

 mentally that in animals oophorectomy is followed in a sympathetic 6 

 few weeks by increased excitability in the sympathetic system. 

 nervous system. They accept the view that this is due 

 to some disturbance in the calcium metabolism 2 . 



In addition to certain constant and positive results, 

 which are always reliable in regard to the metabolism, 

 experimentation provides us with other most useful 

 information ; and this information is just that which 

 we cannot obtain in our clinical work, although 

 Pathology may indicate the causal factors in many 

 obscure phenomena. I refer to the effects produced 

 on the other hormonopoietic organs by removal of the 

 ovaries. 



No doubt the differences in the effects produced by 



1 Hoskins, R. G., and H. Wheelon, Amer. Journ. PhysioL, 1914, 

 vol. xxv, p. 119. 



2 Bell, W. Blair, The Principles of Gynaecology, 1st ed.. 1910 : Liver p. 

 Chirur. Journ., 1912, vol. xxxii, p, 398. 



