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SummaryIn an open, non-comparative, prospective 12 month trial of continuous oestrogen treatment, with the addition of low dose micronised oral progesterone for the first 23 days of each calendar month, endometrial biopsies were obtained from postmenopausal women (n = 40) before treatment, and during the 6th and 12th months of treatment in the late progesterone phase of the cycle (day 20–23), for histopathological analysis.The low fixed dose progesterone administered for 23 days each month resulted in endometrial atrophy in the majority of patients and produced suboptimal progestational effects in others but was not associated with any serious hyperstimulation. This result contradicts the hypothesis that duration of progesterone treatment is more important than the dose in protecting the endometrium in hormone replacement treatment. Both the dose and duration of progesterone administration are important in protecting oestrogenised endometrium.

A novel process, termed gel precipitation, has been developed for producing gels of insoluble metallic compounds from aqueous solution. Controlled additions of a solution of the metal, which also contains the dissolved gelling agent, are mixed with a solution of the precipitating reagent, e.g. ammonium hydroxide. The gel is formed by the association of the gelling agent, usually a polymeric organic material, with the phase normally precipitated and in its truest form probably consists of a molecular complex between the organic constituent and the metal compound. The gel forms rapidly on bringing the two solutions into contact and there is no tendency for the discrete particles to adhere or coalesce; all the metal ion is normally confined to the gel phase.The outstanding characteristics of the process are its simplicity and versatility; it operates at normal temperature and requires only conventional chemical plant. It is particularly applicable to precipitating conditions that yield gelatinous pre...