In this text, the author points out the fact that there was a tension at the root of Mary Mallon's case. Mary Mallon was found to be an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever. The many cases of the disease that she caused led her to be quarantined for more than 20 years.
The tension in this problem occurs between the need to protect innocent people from disease, while balancing the right to liberty of a woman who carries it. The quote presented in this passage contributes to this idea by showing that many people did not understand Mallon's feelings and desires. Mallon tells us that the doctor she talked to could not understand why she wanted her freedom. This shows that Mallon was misunderstood and disregarded, and that the tension between the two ideals was not easy to resolve. This contributes to the development of ideas in the text.
