Judge — October 27, 1928 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Housemaid's Knee" This is a visual pun playing on the medical term "housemaid's knee"—an occupational injury (bursitis) that domestic workers developed from kneeling while cleaning. The cartoon shows a woman at a window, her leg extended prominently, with the caption punning on this condition. The satire likely comments on the physical toll of domestic labor, a common social concern in early 20th-century America. By literalizing the medical condition as a visual joke, the cartoonist draws attention to working-class women's exploitation while maintaining the magazine's satirical tone. The artist is credited as "Ruth Eastman, R." The illustration appeared in Judge, known for its commentary on social and political issues of the era.