Summary
Gas-chromatographic odor-assay techniques have been used to study vaginal odors. An improved version of this technique was applied to compare the efficacy of a suppository containing phenylmercuric acetate, a feminine douche preparation, and a conventional vinegar douche in reducing the concentrations of malodorants in the vaginal vapors of ten normal women.
Seven malodorants occurred frequently in vaginal vapors; seven more were noted less frequently, and additional ones occurred occasionally. A reduction in the malodorant concentrations was observed with all treatments, but this effect reached acceptable statistical probability levels,p<0.05 (95% confidence levels), consistently only for the suppository.
The effect of the phenylmercuric acetate suppository on the concentration of vaginal malodorants was statistically valid at 2, 6, and 10 hours after its use. In the case of the douche preparation, the degree of reduction in the malodorant concentrations did not reach statistical significance. A Sign Test, however, on the frequency of the malodorant concentration decreases as compared with the frequency of malodorant concentration increases indicated statistical significance for the decreases at 6 and 10 hours after the use of the douche preparation. The total number of malodorants per sample likewise tended to decrease with the various treatments, but this effect reached statistical significance only for the suppository 6 and 10 hours after the treatment.
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Supported in part by the Norwich Pharmacal Company, New York.
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Keith, L., Dravnieks, A., Krotoszynski, B.K. et al. A comparison of the effect of a suppository and two douches on vaginal malodorants. Arch. Gynak. 215, 245–262 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00672809
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00672809