Fans of steroids will always say every athlete is on the juice. In the 40's there was testosterone. I have a tough time believing that every bodybuilder in the 40's and 50's knew how to obtain testosterone and then got syringes to inject it. This is pre internet and bodybuilding gyms were really rare. Most known champs trained in garages and basements.
Reeves was very anti steroids by everything he wrote. He was built when he was lifting at 15. Was he juicing in the 30's? He was nicknamed the Shape during World War II. Did he bring syringes and vials over seas to the South Pacific? The only thing he had was a 110lbs barbell that he used high reps with. Not saying without a doubt he never used testosterone but I find it unlikely. Now ask someone on this board that is popping pills and injecting from stuff bought from the trunk of a shady character at their gym if Reeves used. They will all say yes.
I think another indicator is extreme changes in physiques in the same year. In the fifties bodybuilders were always in shape competing many times in both Olympic lifting and bodybuilding during the same year. I use to read of guys training six months a year for Olympic lifting then six months for bodybuilding. Today I see guys in the gym looking amazing then looking like crap then back again when they are on cycle during a short six months.
