Menopause in 1910

Horrors of retained libido	As soon as retrograde changes commence in the ovaries, the summer of a woman's life is over; and, just as summer is sometimes prolonged into autumn, so at this period of her life may she still retain strong sexual desire. Happy the woman whose heart, as well as her ovaries, undergoes a senile involution, for there is nothing more terrible for a formerly beautiful woman than to see her charms wane while her heart remains young.
Onset of ugliness	Yvette Guilbert, in her novel the "Demi-vieilles," describes in a picturesque manner the pangs of a woman at the climacteric age. Let us quote a few lines: "They try to remain young, hide the gradual onset of their ugliness, and look for a chance to taste of love again. They cry out for the past, for even while they fight against time they cannot detain it in its course." This description, however, does not apply only to the majority of middle-aged women, but more especially to professional beauties.
Marital troubles Deleterious effects on the mind.	The years of the climacteric are the most troublesome in married life, not only for the wife, who is directly affected by it, but also in almost equal degree for the husband, who must show the greatest forbearance to his wife at this period. The sun is setting! It is not merely that the decline of the sexual functions produces certain changes in the body, which are especially noticeable in the external appearance; the influence on the mind also produces deleterious effects. Therefore we must direct all our attention to the hygiene of the mind.
Easier adjustment for married women	In married women with loving husbands and children the task will be much facilitated. As we have already mentioned, this stage of human life is most felt by professional beauties, who witness with chagrin the vanishing of their power over the hearts of men. In many spinsters living alone, friendless, this is also a frightful stage of life.
Comfort of religion	Here we have again an opportunity to observe the wonderful soothing effects of religion, which offers us consolation in all our troubles. Religious women will, therefore, much better withstand this most difficult part of their life. Religion and philosophy, too, may be still more helpful to prevent mental depression. It is interesting to note that many women, even those previously little given to religious practices, turn over a new leaf, and to make up lost ground, become quite pious. Such as in their youth were haughty and proud beauties, and only went to church to exhibit their new hats and toilette, now become meek and modest, and never miss a religious meeting or exercise.
All is not lost if she's clever	Still, even after a woman has passed the climacteric, everything is not lost if only she be a clever member of her sex. In fact, something remains that may even place her above her much younger sisters, and that is experience and knowledge of the world; and if, by the aid of a skillful toilette, she is able to make the best of what good looks remain from better days, it is probable that she will outdo many of her sisters far below her in age.
Scientific resources	Even if at this time of her life, aware of the approach of old age and its cruelties, she may be inclined to say with Long fellow, "but the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast," still there are, in the present state of science, plenty of resources open to her, no less than to a man, to put off old age for a score of years, or to mitigate its effects when it has asserted itself with all its terrors.
	Prevention of Premature Old Age by Animal Extracts
Ovarian extracts - for obesity	In combination with thyroid extracts or alone, ovarian extracts have given us favorable results in the treatment of aged women, and also in younger ones before the menopause, especially after oöphorectomy. Obesity that follows the menopause, or the degeneration or extirpation of the ovaries, and which may also be regarded as one of the primary symptoms of old age, has been in nearly every case very favorably influenced by ovarian extracts, particularly in such cases as thyroid extracts were used at the same time. A very interesting case is mentioned by Burghart* of obesity in a young woman of 20, consequent to an undeveloped condition of the ovaries and uterus. By giving ovarian extracts he was able to reduce the weight by 8 kilos, and when the treatment was discontinued, obesity returned. * Burghart: Deutsche Med. Wochenschrift, p. 610 and 627, 1890. ..
Ovarian extracts - for anemia - for castration - as cureall	As we have already shown, the ovaries also influence the processes of oxidation. Loewy and Richter were able to considerably increase oxidation in animals by ovarian extracts. Very important also is the fact that Spillman and Etienne observed an increase in the number of red blood-corpuscles after ovarian treatment. For the above reasons alone, ovarian extracts should be tried in old age, where we find, as already stated, a diminution of oxidation, and very frequently also, in old women, an anaemic condition. Chroback and Landau were the first to employ with good results ovarian preparations for the relief of the symptoms following castration in women. According to our observations on many women under our care, the greatest benefit can be afforded by ovarian treatment to cases having the disagreeable nervous disorders which follow the menopause, such as hot flushes, nervous depression, headaches, nervous insomnia, etc., these symptoms having disappeared in nearly every case after several weeks treatment. Spillman and Etienne:C.R. do Congres de Medecine De Nancy, p.953, 1896
Pig ovarian extracts for hot flashes	We consider ovarian extracts to be a specific against the painful feelings of heat in women in the years succeeding the menopause, or after oöphorectomy in younger years. In order that these extracts should be active, it is necessary that they should be prepared from the corpus luteum part of the ovaries, which contains their internal secretions. The pig would be the best animal for the purpose, for its ovaries have been found superior to those of other animals; and they also contain more iodine, much more than the ovaries of cattle. When prescribing ovarian extracts we may give larger doses than of thyroid extracts, as they are less dangerous when taken in large quantities than the latter. We usually begin with two tablets, increasing to four, a day.