Normal Physiology

Abstract

The series of discoveries leading to our current understanding of the hypothalamic control of the pituitary-ovarian axis cannot easily be described without placing it in the larger context of the systematic elucidation of hypothalamic control mechanisms which took place in an explosion of work starting in the mid-1950s. Indeed, to attempt to do so would be a disservice to the reader, as this episode in the history of endocrinology is one of the most fascinating examples of how science and personality interact. This section is to a great extent a brief synopsis of a fascinating chronicle by Nicholas Wade, entitled The Nobel Duel.²¹⁷ The reader is encouraged to seek out this thoughtful description of an extraordinary chapter in the history of science.