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Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968

"Sylvia's Marriage"

I know that with as much of
this disease as we doctors see, if it was a deadly disease, there'd
be nobody left alive in the world. As I say, I don't like to discuss
it with women; but it was not I who forced the matter upon your
attention----"
"Pray go on, Dr. Gibson," she said. "I really wish to know all that
you will tell me."
"The question has come up, how was this disease brought to your
child? Dr. Perrin suggested that possibly he--you understand his
fear; and possibly he is correct. But it seems to me an illustration
of the unwisdom of a physician's departing from his proper duty,
which is to cure people. If you wish to find out who brought a
disease, what you need is a detective. I know, of course, that there
are people who can combine the duties of physician and
detective--and that without any previous preparation or study of
either profession."
He waited for this irony to sink in; and Sylvia also waited,
patiently.
At last he resumed, "The idea has been planted in your mind that
your husband brought the trouble; and that idea is sure to stay
there and fester. So it becomes necessary for someone to talk to you
straight. Let me tell you that eight men out of ten have had this
disease at some time in their lives; also that very few of them were
cured of it when they thought they were.


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