The next morning, Dr. Li refuses to bring anything for the sick girl. He tells her that the plague has spread rapidly in the city and that she should be separated from the rest of the population into "prescribed patients" and "mild ones" . He says that the streets should be "de-toxified daily" with medicated water so that the spread of the disease will be reduced. He also says that he will observe the patient "all the time before he knows for sure" and that he hopes that the girl will not stay at the hospital for long. The doctor tells the girl that the fever has gone away and that they should leave as quickly as possible