How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
The oldest profession in the world raised no eyebrows, even with Hema. She'd learned it was futile to object—it would have been like taking exception to oxygen. But the consequences of such tolerance were evident to her: tubal and ovarian abscesses, infertility from gonorrhea, stillbirths, and babies with congenital syphilis. (1.6.47)
In case you're wondering, "the oldest profession in the world" is a euphemism for prostitution. Hema has seen so much of the practice in her life as a doctor that she doesn't really have a moral opinion. And why, you might ask, would a doctor need to know about prostitution? Just read the list of conditions that result in unsafe sex, and you'll get the point.
Quote #2
"What gives you the right to address me this way?" he said, though he didn't really feel the anger his voice carried. He was about to add, Are you my wife?—but choked those words off. To his perpetual shame, he and Almaz had been intimate twice over the years, both times when he was drunk. She'd lain down, lifted, and spread, grumbling even as her hips fell into rhythm with his, but no more than she grumbled about the coffee or hot water. (2.11.21)
Sex is basically shameful for Ghosh, because he's always doing it with women he doesn't love. But here it's especially shameful because with Almaz, he has abused his power as her employer and has taken advantage of her. Think about it—what would be the consequences of her saying no? Possibly losing her job and her income.
Quote #3
In the bathroom Ghosh felt a sharp pain as he peed and was forced to cut off his stream. "Like sliding down the edge of a razor blade using my balls as brakes," he muttered, his eyes tearing. What did the French call it? Chaude pisse, but that didn't come close to describing his symptoms.
Was the mysterious irritation from lack of use? (2.11.27-28)
Ghosh pays for his shameful ways, though, just like pretty much every character in Cutting for Stone. Sex leads to no good, and in Ghosh's case, this takes the form of the famous burning urination: chaude pisse means "hot piss" in French, and it's a colloquial term for gonorrhea.