Judge, 1898-10-01 · page 16 of 16
Judge — October 1, 1898 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This appears to be a four-panel advertisement-style cartoon satirizing patent medicine marketing practices, circa 1898. The narrative features "Dr. Killem" (a play on words suggesting lethal effectiveness) promoting his "sugar-coated pellets" as a cure-all remedy. The satire mocks: 1. **False medical claims**: The doctor's grandiose promises that his product will solve any problem 2. **Deceptive marketing**: The "sugar-coated" language—literally and figuratively—disguising questionable treatments 3. **Patent medicine fraud**: A widespread 1890s problem where unregulated tonics and pills were sold with exaggerated testimonials 4. **Scientific pretense**: The doctor invokes "science" to legitimize dubious products The joke appears to involve an "Old Poacher" character and game, though the exact narrative is unclear from the fragmented OCR text. The repeated emphasis on the pellets "never known to fail" underscores Judge's skepticism toward contemporary medical charlatanry.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
comicbooks.com Dr. Krttem—“ What's th Dr. Kiturm—“ Perhaps that’s so, but I have somet in the shape of my famous ‘ sugar-coated pellets’ that I think will do the tric piece of timber, neighbor 7” OLD PoacHER—‘* None at all. What game there is, they air thet wild thet ye can’t git within gunshot of ‘em.” 4 ——Now I'l just lie down here and watch the results.” Dr. Kittem—" Another victory for science! If you wish to be “Ss COPYRONT 1898 BY ARK ELL PUBLISHING COMPANY OF KEW YORK. in at the death. never fail to use ‘ Killem’s famous sugar-coated ’ pellets '—never known to fail.” Suchet & Wihtmal ithe Fi Co New York THEY DID THE TRICK. °