In New York City, a young man named Bruce has become all of a sudden sullen and uncommunicative, which is causing problems in his relationships with his girlfriend Laura, and with his parents. It's because he's pretty sure he's contracted a venereal disease as he has a sore on his genitals that won't heal. If so, he contracted it from a one time only liaison with a waitress named Ellie Barnes. He's embarrassed and doesn't want to talk to anyone about it. After Bruce tries to get some penicillin from a pharmacy without a prescription - even going to the length of trying to steal it - the pharmacist convinces Bruce to go see a doctor at the public health center, who will keep his situation confidential from his family. The doctor does confirm that he is in the early stages of syphilis. He is instructed to speak to Ben Miller, the center's health representative, who needs to get Bruce's sexual history to try and contact Ellie and anyone else with who he may have had sex. Bruce is not totally forthright, thinking that his silence of having had sex with Laura will protect his relationship with her. Ellie, who is eventually tested positive for the disease, does provide as much information as she can about her sexual history. But any loose threads, whether it be through Laura or anyone on Ellie's list who they can't find, can and probably will lead to many more cases of the disease.
—Huggo