Judge — October 12, 1929 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon from Judge magazine presents a humorous comparison between ancient judicial torture and modern automobile service stations. Titled "Ancient Sources of Modern Inventions: The Service Station," it depicts a medieval torture chamber where figures in period dress operate various torture devices alongside a central figure being stretched on a rack. The satire equates the painful experience of getting an automobile serviced with medieval torture—suggesting that visiting a service station is financially and physically taxing. Various torture implements appear throughout the scene, with attendants operating them much like modern mechanics. The "No Checks" sign emphasizes the expense involved. This reflects early 20th-century automotive anxiety, when car maintenance was unpredictable, costly, and often excessive.