Judge — October 20, 1917 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes unqualified women seeking nursing positions, likely during World War I when nursing demand surged. An officer (presumably a military recruiter) questions a fashionably dressed woman about her nursing qualifications. Her absurd response—that she enjoys reading aloud and makes good fudge—reveals her complete lack of medical training or practical skills. The satire targets upper-class women who viewed nursing as a fashionable wartime contribution without understanding its rigorous demands. The woman's elegant dress and naive confidence suggest she sees the role as social rather than professional. The cartoon mocks both her assumptions and broader attitudes that trivialized nursing work, implying that genuine qualification required more than pleasant domestic accomplishments.