The same Upton Sinclair novel in which the doctor describes the woman whose lips have rotted away revolves around a young man named George who, after cheating on his fiancée, discovers he has syphilis. Unable to break off the engagement without ruining their reputation, he marries her, never tells her he has syphilis, and infects her. She in turn infects their newborn child. The newborn then infects the family’s wet nurse. The compounding repercussions of George’s secret seem incredibly realistic.
