Judge, 1926-10-16 · page 19 of 36
Judge — October 16, 1926 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical story mocks the early 20th-century trend toward medical specialization. A man (Terrence Smithers) injures his finger and attempts to find a doctor, but encounters a absurd parade of physicians—each practicing only a narrow specialty: nose-and-throat, anesthesiology, gastric disturbances, cardiology, skin troubles, appendicitis. None will treat a simple smashed finger. The joke critiques how excessive specialization has become impractical and unhelpful for ordinary people with common problems. The punchline underscores the broader social satire: Terrence's wife has similarly specialized herself away into bridge and mah-jong, making her equally unavailable for domestic duties. The cartoon suggests that modern specialization, while intellectually impressive, creates absurd real-world inefficiency and abandons the generalist approach needed for everyday life.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
UDGE This Age of Specialization oe - .> finger!” shrieked Terrence > Smithers, dashing into the smashed it with a hammer hanging a picture in the living-room. Oh, it hurts so! Doctor, please Ve A Militant \ pained, aggrieved look suffused . SE Weekly for Dr. Gray's face. Even his goatee God and trembled with ill-concealed 1 > “My dear sir,” he announced, “I Country specialize solely in diseases of the nose and throat. [cannot handle smashed fingers. Good day. Across the street ‘Terrence read another si “Irving Robinson, M.D.” Dashing into” Dr. Robin- son's waiting-room, he encountered a white-« ustere-looking nur “Have you an appointment with the doeto! she asked Terrence, “No. LT smashed my fin with a hammer hanging a picture—" 3 : Doctor Robinson cannot see you. $ rc Np f S Phe doctor is an anesthetist. The exit is this way, : “Where F asked Ter- 5 i b rence. “My finger hurts like the 220" dickens.” “ “The Moron! May she always be right: \ “Well, let me see. There's Dr. but the Moron, right or wrong!” Rice, No, he couldn't take care of RET you, He's specializing in gastric a 8 How to make a million with a magazin disturbances. Two doors away is Dr. Boley. Dr. Boley might look at a smashed finger. No, I guess not. general practice to eve. ear, nose and corner is Dr. Brown, but he’s doing He switched over last) week from throat work. Let me think. On the nothing but cardiae work—heart specialist, you know, ‘There's Dr. —— “But my finger!” wailed Terrence, “look it’s getting all black and blue.” He started to weep. “I want a doe- “T wonder if Dr. Russell could take care of you.” said the nurse “Tl phone his office.” Ina few min- utes she returned. “Sorry, but Dr. Russell is devoting all his time to skin troubles. TI don’t: think that Dr. Norris could handle it, while Dr. Jones is doing nothing but appendi- citis operations. I'm. really. sorry. Why don't you let your wife bathe it in witch hazel?” “Might ask her to. 1 Terrence, gazing at the carpet. “She's special izing in bridge and mah jong and I wonder if she would take the time ithe a husband's hurt finger.” No harm in asking.” suggested the nurse. “You don't know my wife,” said ‘Terrence. Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.” Curtain, Arthur L. Lippmann comicbooks.com