This paper describes an easy and relatively rapid procedure for distinguishing the ketonic prostaglandins E (PGEs) from the non-ketonic prostaglandins F (PGFs) and other hydroxy-acid lipid spasmogens. The method depends on the ability of certain hydrazine derivatives to combine specifically with keto groups. The condensation reaction leads to the formation of hydrazones according to the equation: RR'CO + H2N.NHR". 'RR'C=N.NHR" + H2OTo obtain this ketonic condensation we have used Girard's reagent T (trimethylammonium-acetohydrazide chloride, H2N.NH.CO.CH2.N(CH3)3C1), which is one of a series of reagents developed by Girard & Sandulesco (1936); these reagents are soluble in water and insoluble in non-hydroxylated organic solvents. The hydrazones formed from ketones and reagent T are also more water and less ether-soluble than the original ketones. In preliminary trials with known compounds it was found that treatment of ketonic PGEs in aqueous solution with reagent T leads, as expected, to an apparent retention of the product in the water phase during subsequent partitions with diethyl ether at pH 3-4; this reduced extractability of PGEs will be referred to as an apparent inactivation. On the other hand, the non-ketonic PGFs were recovered fully from the ether phase, indicating absence of reaction with the reagent, as expected from the difference in its structure at C9, which is shown above.Reagent T is itself insoluble in ether and did not interfere with the assays of prostaglandins.The reduction in ether-extractability of PGEs by reagent T was applied for the detection of prostaglandin-like spasmogenic keto-hydroxy-acids previously found in this laboratory in