Answer: He has a disease, consumption of the spine; and that this disease was given through his father.
Step-by-step explanation: In Act 2 of "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen, Nora Helmer tells Christine Linde that Dr. Rank, who is a close family friend, is very ill and has been diagnosed with a "sort of consumption of the spine." Nora is worried about Dr. Rank's health and tells Christine that he will soon be confined to his bed and will not be able to see anyone. Nora also mentions that Dr. Rank has always been very fond of her and that she has been trying to avoid him lately because she does not want to deal with his advances towards her.