Summary Thirty‐five patients with menorrhagia were treated in a double‐blind crossover study with naproxen sodium and mefenamic acid after measurement of their blood loss during control menstrual cycles. Treatment with these compounds reduced the excessive bleeding by an average of 46 and 47% respectively. Drugs in the prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor group are considered to have an important place in the treatment of menorrhagia.

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Summary Throat swabs impregnated with nitrazine yellow have been used to detect pH change in the vagina before and after amniotomy. The effect of infection on the test has been examined. A negative result is of use in excluding the diagnosis of ruptured membranes. A positive result is highly suggestive of the presence of amniotic fluid.

Summary The spontaneous activity of human myometrial strips obtained during the proliferative and secretory phases of the menstrual cycle and during the early and late stages of pregnancy was studied. Both prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and oxytocin caused contractions which were superimposed on a low level of spontaneous activity but only PGF2α was seen to affect high levels of activity. Spontaneous contiactions were ultimately abolished by the addition of indomethacin. The strips remained responsive to PGF2α but not to oxytocin.