Abstract
The Smith and Engle phenomenon, first demonstrated in the rat, has been extended to other laboratory mammals. E. Allen induced sudden stimulation of the ovaries and genital tract in an immature rhesus female by means of implants of anterior lobe from 3 spayed females of the same monkey species. He also found that dog hypophysis had no effect. 1 It is, therefore, of interest to report a striking effect of pig anterior lobe upon a non-ovulating and amenorheic monkey.
A preliminary experiment was done with the glands implanted whole and intact. Female No. 22 of the Carnegie Colony of rhesus monkeys had been running irregular cycles as follows: 82, 98, 98, 25, 54, 91 days. These were her only menstrual periods; but minor cycles were reflected in the curve of vaginal desquamation. She was, moreover, blind, with complete optic atrophy, the sequel of a disease a year before the experiment. Laparotomy June 4, 1929, 8 days after the last bleeding of 5 days' duration, showed an infantile uterus and tiny ovaries absolutely devoid of visible graafian follicles, corpora lutea, or corpora albicantia. Two whole interior lobes of castrated male pigs were implanted retroperitoneally at the time of the laparotomy; 2 on June 5, intramuscularly, and again 2 on June 6. The animal was killed June 10 and embalmed with Regaud's fluid: uterus of middle finger size (15×10 mm.); ovaries 9×6.8×6 and 9×6.2×6 mm., with follicles of pin-head and mustard-seed size. The effect of the implants was noticeable but not striking.
An experiment with female No. 31 gave unequivocal results. This rather vigorous female of about 4000 gm. weight passed through the following menstrual cycles: 28, 28, 22, 19, 65, 31, 35, 21, 57, 45 days.
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