[Right_in_Virginia]

The doctors told him to do it.

Did the doctors also tell Joe to do it in secret; telling no one including his wife, Rosemary's mother?

[nickcarraway]

I don’t know. That was also how things were often done back then. Remember, back then, they might not tell someone they were terminal, and going to die. Sometime, they’d just tell a relative. There is more transparency now. Mostly.