Judge — November 27, 1909 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a humorous critique of dog breeding practices, using the "frankfurter" (hot dog) as visual pun. The page shows various dog breeds—labeled "CEORA II DAMP," "PEDRO," "LIMEY," "MIMI," "SPIKE," "MARIE," "STEW," "CORKEY ISLAND TRANSFIGURE," "GERMAN BIRDMAN," and "BULLWURT"—presented as increasingly exaggerated or deformed specimens. The cartoon satirizes selective breeding by suggesting dogs are being bred into absurd, unnatural forms that resemble sausages more than functional animals. The pun "going from worse to wurst" (worst/wurst) drives the joke home. The text asks whether this represents genuine "race extinction" or merely deterioration—critiquing the vanity breeding practices of the era that prioritized appearance over health or natural dog characteristics. This reflects genuine Progressive-era concerns about breeding ethics.