Judge, 1899-01-28 · page 16 of 16
Judge — January 28, 1899 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This eight-panel comic strip satirizes rural poverty and folk medicine superstitions circa 1899. Farmer Medders wants whisky to ward off cold but lacks funds. His wife Mrs. Medders refuses, insisting the outdoor cold means he doesn't need it. Medders devises a "notion" (scheme): he buys snuff for a nickel instead. Upon arriving home, he inhales the snuff forcefully, triggering violent sneezing fits that mimic illness symptoms. His wife, believing he's genuinely ill with pneumonia or grippe, reverses course and insists he drink whisky—which she now sees as medicine rather than vice. The joke mocks both rural working-class desperation and the era's confused medicine: the cheap snuff trick gets him the whisky anyway, while simultaneously exposing how thin the line was between "remedy" and mere drinking. The satire targets folk logic and gender economics in farm households.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1 Fasarn Mappns (with an insinuation) — “Ex swaller uv whisky wouldn't be bad ; it's mighty cold outside ter-day.” . Mns. MEDDERS—""A® long 25 th’ cold ts outside yer don't need no whisky. G’long with yer an’ git th’ mail.” Fann MgppErs—' Atchoo !—atchoo !—atchoo!—atchoo!—atchoo!” Mas Mrppexs—'-Gracious me, man! hurry up an’ shut that door. You're catchin’ an awful cold.” Vu. Mns. Mepprrs— ‘‘ Hurry, an’ drink down th’ whisky ; it’s cheaper than er docter’s bill in er case uv pneumony, not ter dever h th’ trouble uy nursin’.” Fanwer Meppgas——"' I've got er nickel, but that won't buy me er drink uv whisky. Hold on! I've got a notion. too. — Iv. FARMER MEDDERS (arriving at home)—'' 'Fore I go in I'll draw in er good nosefal uv snuff.” Farmer ‘Meppess (in @ farexysm)—"* Atchoo !—atchoo !—atchoo !"" Mas. Muppars—" Git yer feet inter th’ uven! It looks like er case uv pneumony, or th’ grippe.” Farmer Meppers—'‘I did git er drink fer er nickel, after all.” Common 1899 BY AMKELL mausuing COMPANY OF MEW OR’. AA NICKEL AND A NOTION. Sackett Witbelms Lia A Ps Co Rew York comicbooks.com