Societies and Academies

Abstract

LONDON Royal Society, November 16. J. W. COOK, E. C. DODDS, C. L. HEWETT and W. LAWSON: The oestrogenic activity of some condensed-ring compounds in relation to their other biological activities. In all experiments 100 mgm. of substance was administered to ovariectomised rats, and the doses were afterwards decreased if positive results were obtained. Certain di-alkyl derivatives of 1: 2: 5: 6-dibenz- 9: 10-dihydroanthraquinol, 1-keto-l: 2: 3: 4-tetrahydrophenanthrene, neo-ergosterol, calciferol, ergosterol, 5: 6-c?/cZopenteno-l: 2-benzanthracene, 1: 2-benzpyrene and 1: 9-dimethylphenanthrene were found to be active. Two interesting features of the results are (a) the remarkable fact that the oastrus phenomena may be produced by compounds which differ relatively widely in molecular structure from the natural product, and (6) that it is possible to have apparently unconnected biological activities associated with the same molecular structure, for two of the substances now shown to be cestrogenic have powerful cancer-producing activity, and another one is the antirachitic vitamin, calciferol. Some degree of unsaturation seems necessary for oestrus-producing activity, as was shown by an examination of several compounds related to the sterols, some saturated, some ethylenic, and some aromatic in type. J. W. COOK, E. C. DODDS and A. GREENWOOD: Sex change in the plumage of brown Leghorn capons following the injection of certain synthetic oestrus-producing compounds. Intramuscular injection of o 1-keto, 1:2:3: 4-tetrahydrophenanthrene, and 9: 10-dihydroxy-9: 10-di-n-butyl-9: 10 dihydro-1: 2: 5: 6-dibenzanthracene was followed by a definite appearance of isolated patches of red pigment on the feathers. Later this developed into a definite band across the feather, producing unmistakable demonstration of change from male to female characteristics, as is seen after administration of oestrin. W. E. LE G. CLARK and G. G. PENMAN: The pio-jection of the retina in the lateral geniculate body. The localisation of the retina in the lateral geniculate body of monkeys has been studied by reference to the cellular atrophy which occurs in the nucleus after retinal lesions. Atrophy in the geniculate body is always found to be quite localised and sharply defined after small peripheral lesions. The termination of crossed and uncrossed optic fibres in different cell laminae is confirmed. The macular area of the geniculate body is more restricted than previous observations have suggested, and is represented by a median sector which is definitely limited to the caudal two-thirds of the nucleus. It involves all the cell laminae. Fibres from the nasal half of the macula undergo complete decussation in the chiasma, while those from the temporal half remain uncrossed. The whole width of the cell laminae in the rostral third of the nucleus is concerned with peripheral vision.