Judge — September 21, 1889 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a satirical comic series mocking patent medicines and medical quackery, likely from the late 19th or early 20th century. The panels depict various fraudulent "cures": 1. "Drinking villainous water" - a charlatan selling fake medicinal water 2. "Hurray! Another patent medicine" - celebrating dubious remedies 3. "Blue-glass idiocy" - referencing the false belief that blue glass had healing properties 4. "And lastly, the elixir" - the final con, showing a witch-like figure and cauldron, suggesting these medicines are pure magic/nonsense The large illustration on the right depicts "Quacks" preying on desperate, gullible people with fake treatments. The satire attacks the widespread fraud of patent medicine manufacturers who exploited public desperation with unregulated, often worthless or harmful products sold with exaggerated health claims. This was a major social problem until regulatory reforms like the Pure Food and Drug Act (1906).