Abstract
Menformone and estrogen were obtained from the manufacturers. Ovarian hormone was extracted with ether from the urine of pregnant women. Ovariectomized mice were used in assaying the hormone.
In order to secure very accurate measurements, women were placed on weighed diets (no breakfast) and allowed about the same amount of exercise each day and metabolism taken 15 hours after the last meal. The O2 and CO2 were determined by the apparatus described in J. Biol. Chem., 1928, lxxvii, 413, the nitrogen determined by micro-Kjeldahl, and, the basal metabolism calculated. By this means the Benedict-Roth-Collins apparatus was tested. The psycho-galvanic reflex, muscle tone, and blood pressure were measured as a check on the physiological state of the subjects. Half the women had basal metabolisms 15% below Aub-Dubois'standard, probably due to deficiency of iodine during childhood. In testing the effects of hormones, it was found that 1 mg. of thyroxine subcutaneously raised the basal metabolism of “normal” women 3% in 2 days and 5 mg. raised it 15% in 2 days. Injections of “menformon” and “estrogen” were made subcutaneously. On days of injection no food was taken and hence the physiological state may not have been considered absolutely constant. The basal metabolism of woman No. 1 was considered too variable for conclusions to be made and the study of her metabolism was discontinued. Women of small vital capacity had more regular breathing than women of large vital capacity.
After injection of 2000-4000 mouse units of ovarian hormone it is excreted in the urine in about 6 hours.
In the first woman the metabolism rose after injection of 300 mouse units and fell after 880 units. In the 2nd woman the metabolism fell after 1000 mouse units.
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