Journal of the American Medical Association · 1939 · 14 citations · 0 references
MedicineEndocrinologyPharmacologyAndrologyReproductive EndocrinologyReproductive MedicineGonadal HormonesHormonal EvaluationHormonal TherapyHormone MetabolismMenopause ManagementMenopause PharmacotherapyEstradiol TherapyEstrogen PharmacologyEstrous ResponseHormonal Contraceptive TherapyOral Estrogen TherapyOvarian Steroid PharmacologySex Hormone Pharmacology
At the request of Dr. Barr, we are making this preliminary report to the Council. Beginning in March 1939 we undertook studies of the new synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol. We have studied thirty-seven patients in all, twelve of whom had had both ovaries removed, five part but not all of the ovarian tissue removed, five patients with marked hypogonadism and amenorrhea, and fifteen patients with severe symptoms of spontaneous menopause. We have found diethylstilbestrol to be very actively estrogenic when given orally, as well as when administered by injection. The symptoms of hypogonadism have been relieved and there have been marked estrous changes in the vaginal smears and endometrial biopsies. Considerable breast growth has been produced and withdrawal bleeding can be produced almost at will. The doses necessary to produce these effects ranged from 0.1 mg. to 5 mg. by mouth or by injection daily. We have not found the very