and the willingness to engage in it has been the mark of selfless affection and respect.
We recall that Victor's mother Caroline dies from the effects of nursing Elizabeth
Lavenza through an adolescent attack of scarlet fever (I:2:2) and that Justine Moritz,
in her turn, contracts the disease from attending on Caroline Frankenstein and herself
falls "very ill" (I:5:5) as a result. Although not vulnerable to consequences so life-threatening,
Henry Clerval acts as Victor's "only nurse" during the months-long nervous fever that
incapacitates him after the Creature is brought to life (I:4:17).