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It was the policy of Mr. K— to ask no questions in his dealings with the trade. “They bring the body, and we pay the price,” he used to say, dwelling on the alliteration—"quid pro quo.”  And, again, and somewhat profanely, “Ask no questions,” he would tell his assistants, “for conscience sake.”

It’s important to maintain ethical standards, especially when people’s lives are at stake. Medical professionals especially are held to a high standard, and when those standards are not met, horrific consequences can result. Because Mr. K— does not have requirements for sourcing bodies for his laboratory, people are murdered. He may believe he is escaping responsibility by looking the other way, but his lack of ethics invites others to discard theirs as well. In addition to empowering unscrupulous individuals to kill for profit, Mr. K— teaches his assistants to be unethical too. Mr. K— should model the highest standards in ethics since he’s supposed to be training the next generation of medical professionals. As the story shows, Fettes and Macfarlane go on to not only ignore evidence of murders but, in the case of Macfarlane, become a murderer himself. Had they had a principled role model who held them to high standards and enacted consequences when they fell short, people would not have died.

It was impossible to misconceive the threat or to exaggerate the danger.  The lad’s heart failed him. He stammered some excuses, counted out the sum, and saw his hateful visitors depart.

A lack of ethics can lead to involvement with criminal elements and, ultimately, participation in crimes. When Jane Galbraith is brought to the laboratory, Fettes is certain she is the victim of foul play. However, because the men who bring the body are clearly the kind of men willing to murder a woman for money, Fettes feels helpless to do anything. When he goes to Macfarlane, it’s clear Fettes expects his friend and leading student assistant to help him resolve his conflict. He’s shocked when Macfarlane counsels him to maintain his silence and keep doing what he’s asked. Being surrounded by people in positions of power who are willing to engage in criminal behavior leaves Fettes vulnerable to the manipulation of Macfarlane. As he points out, Mr. K— is the one directing the operation, so Fettes has no one to turn to and a lot to lose. Instead, Fettes becomes a knowing and active participant in the crimes, transforming into the sort of man he once feared.

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