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William R. Barclay, MD

JAMA. 1975;234(11):1168.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

"Ruminations" by Robert Moser, MD, (JAMA 233:452-454, 1975) and the COMMENTARY from Dr Vianna in this issue of THE JOURNAL (p 1133) illustrate a problem that confronts all scientists who conduct research. How can a scientist report observations and speculate about their significance without having the lay press misinterpret those findings and speculations to the detriment of the public and the investigator?

Dr Moser deplored the consequences of implying that Hodgkin disease might be an infection, which placed a risk of contagion on those who had a prolonged and intimate contact with its victims. If the tentative hypothesis put forward by Dr Vianna, that Hodgkin disease is an infection, ultimately proves untenable, then lay-press coverage of Dr Vianna's work will be a gross disservice and will have caused much unnecessary anguish.

Dr Vianna and his associates, however, have a clear responsibility to report their findings in medical journals and to . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Footnotes
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