The effects of penicillin administration on menstrual and other sexual cycle functions.

Since penicillin became available for the treatment of bacterial infections, the nontoxicity of the drug has been the subject of universal emphasis. Nevertheless, a number of toxic sequels, chiefly of minor importance, have been reported. These were more frequent in the early days of penicillin therapy, have gradually become less common, and were probably correctly ascribed, in the majority of cases, to the impurities unavoidably present in the commercially processed drug. The standard of purity attained by the time that penicillin became available for the treatment of gonorrhoea and syphilis in the civilian clinics of this country has made untoward drug-sequele extremely rare, in our experience, with the exception of those related to the menstrual function. Early in our series of cases, alterations in the normal menstrual cycle of non-pregnant patients were observed, notably the onset of premature menstrual periods, lengthened periods, increased loss, and premenstrual or trual dysmenorrhaea, and, in the case of iant women, the occurrence of uterine os in relation to penicillin administration. rst these were presumed to be due to )cal pathological conditions present or to rxheimer-like reaction. te frequency of menstrual sequele, howseemed to indicate that the drug or some rity was the cause. That this was indeed th_ase was proved by the occurrence of sitr phenomena in uninfected control cases, a healthy volunteer, the other two being mild cases of trichomonatous vaginitis whose treatment had been completed. These 3 patients were particularly chosen for their