Life, 1884-07-10 · page 2 of 16
Life — July 10, 1884 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page, July 10, 1884 The page header cartoon depicts a figure labeled "Life" - likely the magazine's mascot or personification - in a dramatic scene with what appears to be destruction or chaos in the background. The main text satirizes a Venezuelan general's bill for $7,000 dental work on his wife's teeth, presented to a Venetian general. The satire mocks the absurdly inflated costs itemized line-by-line (inquiring patient's name: $5.00; "Screaming up chair": $7.50; "Stuffing mouth full of cotton": $150.00, etc.). The piece also recounts an anecdote about Henry Wagner, a cashier in Waco, Texas, whose boots became a symbol of frontier dispute between religious factions—mocking both frontier violence and religious hypocrisy. The satirical intent targets both medical price-gouging and absurd social conflicts of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1155 Broapway, New York. Published every Thursday, $5 a year in advance, postage free. Single copies, 10 cents. Back numbers can be had by applying to this office. Vol. I., 20 cents per copy; Vol. II., at regular rates. Rejected contributions will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped and directed envelope. S the subjoined paragraph, from our esteemed contempo- rary the 7rzbune of the 2d, a symptom of Flop? “Let us forego our prejudice and endeavor to find even in the most seemingly repulsive of God's creatures something to wonder at and admire.” * * * HE obsequies of Mr. Henry Wagner, the late cashier of the 3d National Faro Bank at Waco, Texas, who died suddenly after having a misunderstanding with Mr. William Brown of the same city over a stock of chips, were of a novel and somewhat interesting nature. Mr. Wagner had expired in his boots and his grief-stricken widow, touched with frontier pride, had resolved that he should be buried in them. On the other hand, the Rev. Mr. Samuel Ingalls who was called upon to read the services, considered the boots as a symbol of violence, and declared his intention to deny Mr. Wagner the comforts of bell and burial unless he should appear at the ceremony in slippers. This divided the Wagner coterie into two factions, boots and anti-boots, and at the hour appointed for Mr. Wagner's funeral the adherents of each swarmed to the house. The original boots in which Mr. Wagner had breathed his last had been secretly cut from his feet during the night by some emissary from the hostile camp, but the watchful relict had supplied their place with a new pair. The Rev. Mr. Ingalls arrived, but casting one glance at Mr. Wagner's feet, reassumed his hat and prepared to leave. Mrs. Wagner, anticipating, had stationed herself in. the doorway. There was a moment of brief silence and then with the enthusiasm for which Waco is celebrated, both factions met in battle, the result of which was that not only was Mr. Wagner triumphantly buried in boots, but also the Rev. Mr. Ingalls, a deputy sheriff, two cousins of the de- ceased and Mrs. Wagner herself. Religion has a strong grip in Waco, but the local pride of the community cannot be ruthlessly trampled upon, OW that the plumbers have effected a reconciliation with their workmen, it really seems that the finances of the country are doomed. * * * EVERAL of our esteemed contemporaries have recently made a prodigious fuss over a bill of $7,000, which was presented by a prominent local dentist to a Venezuelan gen- eral for four days’ work upon the teeth of the latter’s wife. It is very evident that our esteemed contemporaries have but little idea of the expense involved in gold-mining in Venezue- lan back teeth, and as a simple act of justice we publish the following items. It will be borne in mind that the rules are those fixed by the College of Odontological Ethics, and are in vogue throughout the United States and Canada: To inquiring patient's name....... To trying to recollect same. To appointing hour for vis To recording same. . To keeping appoin! Asking patient what's the matter... Requesting patient to wait a few minutes, at $2 a. minute. Screwing up chair, $2.50 a turn, Telling patient to open mouth ... Punching tooth with crowbar to see if it is sensitive, ‘at $5 GPUNCh. ce ccvcccenenes Finding out it 1s sensitive Examining tooth without Examining tooth with Ose of cuspidor. cveececeves Laughing gas, at $50 u snicker. Stuffing mouth full of cotton, at $50 a bale. Looking over box of instruments Selecting instrument. Rolling up sleeves... Getting to work on tooth Pulling out wrong molar. Use of cuspidor. Blasting and dredging. Six bales extra cotton, at $50. Ascertaining which is right mola ‘Jerking same....... Use of cuspidor... Showing tooth to patien Asking her how she feels ...... Asking her if she'd like to have the tooti a nice white paper to take home. Being told 0" ....065 Charging items in book. Use of cuspidor. Incidentals. Interest on account rendered... Wear and tear on nervous system... $5.00 comicbooks.com