Life, 1883-01-11 · page 5 of 18
Life — January 11, 1883 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "Not a Homeopathic Dose" This satirical cartoon depicts a medical consultation. Mrs. Stone tells Dr. Littlehat that she was "eighteen" when she last took his prescribed treatment, but "alas! I have changed since then." The doctor responds that eighteen is "such a lanky age." The satire targets homeopathy—a medical practice using extremely diluted substances. The title "Not a Homeopathic Dose" jokes that whatever treatment Mrs. Stone received was ineffective or insufficient, implying she has aged considerably in the interim. The accompanying poem by Lord Lovell humorously recounts a mishap involving steam heat pipes and ruined trousers, further mocking incompetent medical practitioners and suggesting dubious remedies of the era. This reflects Victorian skepticism toward homeopathic medicine as ineffective quackery.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Os NOT A HOMCEOPATHIC DOSE. Mrs. Stone: It WAS TAKEN WHEN I WAS EIGHTEEN, Doctor; BUT, ALAS! I HAVE CHANGED SINCE THEN. Dr, Littlebat (who never allows a wealthy patient to fish in shallow waters) : CHANGED! YES, BUT HOW IMPROVED! EIGHTEEN IS SUCH A LANKY AGE. Or on the eau-de-vie. “ Most pitiably were my trowsers shred,— O, woe is me that I ever wed Lo! View them at the knee! A man who goes on a spree !" And I lay in the puddle like one gone dead “ You are wrong, my dear,” Lord Lovell he said, Tiil officer 5-4-3 As he had a bright idee. Happened along and rescuéd “know in the papers you must have read Me from my miseree.”” Of the Steam Heat Companee, Whose pipes beneath the streets are led— Thash whash the mar’r with me! “Go tell your tale, Lord Lovell,” she said, “To the maritime cavalree ; To your grandam of the hoary head ; “ Along the street as I swiftly sped, To any one but me. Eager for home and thee,” The door is not used to be open-éd A pipe beneath me exploded, With a cigarette for a key !” Most unexpectedlee. — My eyes were blacked, and my nose it bled— © His condition may be premised from his having assurance enough to A plague on that Companee ! repeat this venerable fiction, comicbooks.com