48 



THE SEX-COMPLEX 



Ovarian rabbits, in which the interstitial cells are very well 

 human 11 * developed, that the best results have been obtained. 

 subject. Moreover, in gynaecological procedures the grafts 



are taken from infected, or otherwise pathological, 

 ovaries. 



Nevertheless, I have implanted autoplastic grafts — 

 which alone are viable — in a large number of cases in 

 all of which the menopause has been averted, and in 

 many of which menstruation has occurred more or less 

 regularly. 



Effects of 



ovarian 



extracts. 



THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF OVARIAN EXTRACTS 



It was found by Hick and myself 1 that the physio- 

 logical effects on the uterus of intravenous injections of 

 whole-ovary extract are as follows : 



(a) No effect is produced on the inactive uterus. 



(b) On the cestrous uterus a well-marked increase in 

 the force of the contractions is obtained, and this 

 effect is augmented by repeated doses. In some 

 cases considerable increase in the tone may also 

 be produced. 



(c) The pregnant uterus is somewhat remarkably 

 affected by ovarian extract, which causes tem- 

 porary inhibition of the contractions. 



We observed no alteration in the blood-pressure. 



Further information has recently been put forward 

 by Itagaki 2 . This investigator found that extracts 

 made from different parts of the ovary produce different 

 effects on the uterus and blood-pressure. He noticed 

 that an extract made from the hilum, and believed to 

 contain the active principle of the interstitial cells, 

 alone produced inhibition of the uterine contractions ; 

 and that an extract of the corpus luteum increased the 

 tone and force of the uterine contractions, without 

 affecting the blood-pressure, while the follicular secretion 



1 Bell, W. Blair, and P. Hick, Brit. Med. J own., 1909, vol. i, p. 777. 



2 Itagaki, M., Quart. Journ. Exper. Physiol, 1917, vol xi, pp. 

 1 and 27. 



