Judge, 1922-05-27 · page 35 of 36
Judge — May 27, 1922 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical advertisement for a specific issue of *Judge* magazine (June 3, undated but likely early 20th century). The "Mirthoscope" is a fictional device—a humorous fake invention depicted in the cartoon as a gauge measuring "laugh pressure" to warn readers when they're laughing too hard ("side-splitting"). The ad promotes an upcoming "Inventor's Number" featuring comic articles by notable humorists and critics (William Allen White, George Jean Nathan, Heywood Broun, Walter Prichard Eaton). It references real inventors and scientists—Edison, Lee De Forest (radio pioneer), and Charles Steinmetz (electrical engineer)—to humorously suggest the upcoming articles contain ingenious or shocking ideas comparable to their actual inventions. The joke: readers will laugh so hard they'll need the protective "Mirthoscope" device. It's self-promotional satire typical of *Judge's* advertising strategy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Mirthoscope for Judge Readers. A new safety device, which, when placed against the ribs, registers the laugh pressure, and warns the Judge reader when side-splitting point is reached. You will need one for the INVENTOR’S NUMBER JUDGE OUT JUNE 3 Inventions Edison never dreamed of! Ideas that set De Forest on fire! Patents that would shock Steinmetz! Inventive articles by William Allen White George Jean Nathan Heywood Broun Walter Prichard Eaton PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW! comicbooks.com