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Gavaudan: Small Doses of Posterior Pituitary During Labor
128
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRJCS AND GYNECOLOGY
mild prolonged deficiency of vitamin A may be a very important factor in the etiology of senile vaginitis. Certainly, the improved state of the vaginal epithelium fol· lowing vitamin A-therapy is a major factor in repair of this condition, regardless of whether other etiologic agents are involved in its production. It should be men· tione.d, however, that the beneficial effects of A-therapy such as mentioned above can be expected only in instances where the epithelial tissues are already suf· fering from an inadequate supply of vitamin A, for there is no indication that excess of vitamin A can benefit epithelia receiving an adequate supply of this factor. It is of interest that the treatment of gonococcal infections has been greatly enhanced by administration of vitamin A (Stein, 1933) and by ovarian hormone ad· ministration (Lewis, 1933). The effectiveness of these two therapeutic methods in the treatment of senile vaginitis, as demonstrated by the observations presented in this paper and by those of Davis (1935), affords an interesting parallel. The explanation would appear to lie in the indispensability of vitamin A, and of ovarian hormone, in the maintenance of a normal structural and functional state of the vaginal epithelium.
In summary, this report offers evidence that in 30 cases of senile vaginitis observed, an increased intake of vitamin A, in the form of cod liver oil or haliver oil, proved unusually effective in producing rapid relief of the symptoms and in gross and histologic repair of the vaginal lining. We attribute these effects to the beneficial action of vitamin A in restoring the vaginal epithelium, suffering from a chronic low-grade deficiency of this vitamin, to a normal healthy state. REFERENCES
Aberle, S. B. D.: J. Nutrition 6: 1, 1933. Blackfan, K. J)., a-na Wolbach, S. B.: J. Pediat. 3: 679, 1933. Crossen, H. S.: Diseases of Women, e.d. 7, St. Louis, 1930, The C. V. Mosby Co. Curtis, A. H.: Obstetrics and Gynecol1>gy1 Philadelphia, 1933, W. B. Saunders Co. Davis, C. H.: Gynecology ud Obstetrics, Hagerstown, 1933, W. F. Prior and Co. Davis, M. E.: Surg. Gynec. Obst. 61; 680, 1935. Evan.s, H. M., ana Bishop, K. 8.: Anat. Rec. 23: 17, 1922. Graves, W. P.: Gynecology, ed. 4, Philadelphia, 1929, W. B. Saunders Co. Jean,s, P. C., and Zentmire: Am. J. Dis. Child. 48: 928, 1934. J. A. M. A. 102: 892, 1934. Lewis, R. M.: AM. J. OBST. & GYNEO. 26: 593, 1933. Mason, K. E., and Elli.son, E. T.: J. Nutrition 9: 735, 1935. Papa-nioolaoo, G. N.: Am. J. Anat. 52: 519, 1933. Polak, J. 0.: Pelvic Inflammation in Women: Gynee. & Obst. Monog., New York, 1931, D. Appleton & Co. Stein, D.: Med. J. & Rec. 137: 504, 1933. Turner, R. G., and Loew, E. R.: J. Nutrition 5: 29, 1932. Wolbach, S. B., and Howe, 1'. R.: J. Exper. Med. 42: 753, 1925. Idem: J. Exper. Med. 57: 511, 1933.
Ga.vaudan: Small Doses of Posterior Pituitary During Labor, Bull. Soc. d 'ohst. et de gynec. 24: 161, 1935. Every obstetrician has observed accidents to both mother and child following the injection of posterior pituitary substance during labor. The author therefore cautions against using doses larger than 2 International units at any one time. Furthermore, this substance should only be used in cases of uterine inertia. If these two conditions are observed, pituitary substance will be found to be harmless even in cases of dystocia. J.P. GREENHILL.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRJCS AND GYNECOLOGY
mild prolonged deficiency of vitamin A may be a very important factor in the etiology of senile vaginitis. Certainly, the improved state of the vaginal epithelium fol· lowing vitamin A-therapy is a major factor in repair of this condition, regardless of whether other etiologic agents are involved in its production. It should be men· tione.d, however, that the beneficial effects of A-therapy such as mentioned above can be expected only in instances where the epithelial tissues are already suf· fering from an inadequate supply of vitamin A, for there is no indication that excess of vitamin A can benefit epithelia receiving an adequate supply of this factor. It is of interest that the treatment of gonococcal infections has been greatly enhanced by administration of vitamin A (Stein, 1933) and by ovarian hormone ad· ministration (Lewis, 1933). The effectiveness of these two therapeutic methods in the treatment of senile vaginitis, as demonstrated by the observations presented in this paper and by those of Davis (1935), affords an interesting parallel. The explanation would appear to lie in the indispensability of vitamin A, and of ovarian hormone, in the maintenance of a normal structural and functional state of the vaginal epithelium.
In summary, this report offers evidence that in 30 cases of senile vaginitis observed, an increased intake of vitamin A, in the form of cod liver oil or haliver oil, proved unusually effective in producing rapid relief of the symptoms and in gross and histologic repair of the vaginal lining. We attribute these effects to the beneficial action of vitamin A in restoring the vaginal epithelium, suffering from a chronic low-grade deficiency of this vitamin, to a normal healthy state. REFERENCES
Aberle, S. B. D.: J. Nutrition 6: 1, 1933. Blackfan, K. J)., a-na Wolbach, S. B.: J. Pediat. 3: 679, 1933. Crossen, H. S.: Diseases of Women, e.d. 7, St. Louis, 1930, The C. V. Mosby Co. Curtis, A. H.: Obstetrics and Gynecol1>gy1 Philadelphia, 1933, W. B. Saunders Co. Davis, C. H.: Gynecology ud Obstetrics, Hagerstown, 1933, W. F. Prior and Co. Davis, M. E.: Surg. Gynec. Obst. 61; 680, 1935. Evan.s, H. M., ana Bishop, K. 8.: Anat. Rec. 23: 17, 1922. Graves, W. P.: Gynecology, ed. 4, Philadelphia, 1929, W. B. Saunders Co. Jean,s, P. C., and Zentmire: Am. J. Dis. Child. 48: 928, 1934. J. A. M. A. 102: 892, 1934. Lewis, R. M.: AM. J. OBST. & GYNEO. 26: 593, 1933. Mason, K. E., and Elli.son, E. T.: J. Nutrition 9: 735, 1935. Papa-nioolaoo, G. N.: Am. J. Anat. 52: 519, 1933. Polak, J. 0.: Pelvic Inflammation in Women: Gynee. & Obst. Monog., New York, 1931, D. Appleton & Co. Stein, D.: Med. J. & Rec. 137: 504, 1933. Turner, R. G., and Loew, E. R.: J. Nutrition 5: 29, 1932. Wolbach, S. B., and Howe, 1'. R.: J. Exper. Med. 42: 753, 1925. Idem: J. Exper. Med. 57: 511, 1933.
Ga.vaudan: Small Doses of Posterior Pituitary During Labor, Bull. Soc. d 'ohst. et de gynec. 24: 161, 1935. Every obstetrician has observed accidents to both mother and child following the injection of posterior pituitary substance during labor. The author therefore cautions against using doses larger than 2 International units at any one time. Furthermore, this substance should only be used in cases of uterine inertia. If these two conditions are observed, pituitary substance will be found to be harmless even in cases of dystocia. J.P. GREENHILL.