Judge, 1929-04-27 · page 9 of 36
Judge — April 27, 1929 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page satirizes **fake testimonials and patent medicine advertising**—a common target of satirical magazines in the early 20th century. The three cartoon panels depict a taxi driver who, after buying a farm, must deal with a noisy rooster that keeps him awake. The humor escalates through increasingly absurd "solutions," culminating in the driver appearing to use a vacuum or pump device. Below, fake endorsements parody the era's dubious medical products: "Adam's Adjustable Ant Aprons" (nonsensical) and "Rookum's Wretched Rat Remover" supposedly cure everything from measles to Christmas parties—obviously ridiculous. The testimonials use the overwrought language and rambling structure typical of real patent medicine ads, mocking their absurd claims and vague causality (spreading something "around corners" cures unrelated ailments). The Broadway actress's endorsement particularly satirizes celebrity endorsements of dubious products. Judge is mocking both gullible consumers and the snake-oil industry exploiting them.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The tazi-driver buys a farm. Unpublished Testimonials Adam’s Adjustable Ant Aprons One day a couple years ago last March [ ran into a friend of mine who T hadn't seen in a long time and who was ina R. R. train going to Boston but I didn’t hear the whistle and so for a long time after [I got out of the hospital I couldn't erack nuts in bed at night without suffering a terrible lot of discomfort all over and in certain places most of all. Finally, it got so bad my wife wouldn't speak to me and the children were all out of work and crying for food and the roof leaked. Well, one day in the lobby of the Baltimore, I found a can of Adam's Adjustable Ant Aprons and r spreading it around in the corners a couple of mornings my pain all left me and so did my friends, my family and the dog. Now I feel fine, can walk with a cane again, have a new bieycle and am back at the head of my class. Your course of “How to French in 14 Nights and a Hotel Room” has done for me and I fe: apolc friends aprons. wonders T owe you an for not telling all of my about your wonderful Sincerely yours Pant. Vax Revses Rookum’s Wretched Rat Remover When my chums ask me why I have such a lovely complexion I generally tell them to go to hell and they don't look so good them- selves and I must admit it is all due to Rookum’s Wretched Rat Remover. Being one of Broadway's best known and favorite dancers, soubrettes, leadi and tragedienr my best for my public wonderful what can do. I think it is thing IT know pepsia, blood-poisoning, mosqui toes, insomnia, over-cating, sea sickness and Christmas parties. Sincerely, Grorta Dorores Castir- Prince S.—If you use only one of the pictures I like the one as the Queen of Sheba best. —Richtarp S. Warract your medicine about the best for measles, dys- Sau ) aid, if I were only a man!" Z comicbooks.com