Is Hodgkin's Disease Infectious?1

It is not easy to discuss the question of infectivity in a disease for which there is no known cause. In this circum stance, one must rely on the epidemiological observations which suggest that a disease may be infectious. While epidemiological studies alone can never determine the specific etiology of a disease, they can often indicate whether its characteristics are consistent with those of an environmental agent (22). Through analysis of international comparisons, clustering in time and space, migration stud ies, familial aggregation, and such variables as age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status, the epidemiologist can frequently make deductions concerning various aspects of a disease. Thus, by careful consideration of time, place, and person factors, Medin noted the epidemic character of poliomyelitis in 1887 and, in 1905, before the infective nature of this disease had been demonstrated by transmis sion to monkeys, epidemiological evidence was presented to incriminate schools in its dissemination (52). It was also deduced that a carrier state must exist to explain satisfacto rily the mode of spread of this apparent infectious process (65). Before discussing the question, "is Hodgkin's disease infectious?" it would perhaps be best to review the evidence