Does she know a lot about viruses or bacteria? Of course not. Alice is from Victorian times, stuff like good health or hygiene wasn't exactly a priority in the slums of London. But while she does have a vague idea, she's not sure at all how getting some of those could change someone that much. That's.. not a normal human thing, is it? She's pretty sure it isn't, anyway.

It still makes her frown for a moment as she tries to process the idea in her head, before giving up when she realises there's no way she's going to be able to figure it out herself.

"Why did they experiment on you?"

Does Alice think this is apparently just a socially acceptable question to ask a stranger?

Apparently, since she's already said it now. But he offered up that nugget of information first!