Life, 1894-11-08 · page 12 of 14
Life — November 8, 1894 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Dignity of Power" — Life Magazine Satire This page satirizes medical quackery and unqualified practitioners. The top illustration shows a street scene where children are being kept away from an disreputable figure—likely a charlatan doctor. The main narrative parodies orientalist tales (featuring characters like "Mustapha" and a "Cadi" judge) to mock a real problem: an American doctor from Oshkosh who claims medical credentials after only six months of study, cannot read or write, and caused permanent disfigurement to a patient through a botched cosmetic procedure. The satire's bite comes from the absurdist framing—using an exotic, formal court setting to expose the ridiculousness of allowing such an unqualified person to practice medicine in America. The joke implies that granting medical licenses to the barely-educated is as foolish as the fictional judge's bewilderment at the doctor's ignorance. The chorus lyric about "butchers' daughters" and social exclusion adds class commentary to the medical critique.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE DIGNITY OF POWER. Chorus : Tilly MacAllister: S WE AIN'T GOT NO USE FOR BUTCHERS’ DAUGHTERS NOR QUAKERS. NYHOW 2 M USTAPHA approached the carpet of justice dragging with him a man witha look of solemn and impossible wisdom like that worn by cows, jackasses, and some others of the animal kingdom. With them came a woman attired in mourning garments, and from whose eyes the tears were streaming. “ What is the matter here, Mustapha?” inquired the Cadi. “This woman saith that she hath been grievously wronged by this doctor,” replied Mustapha. “Let us hear your tale, woman,” said the Cadi, Kebur—God is great—and justice shall be done.” “Know, oh source of all wisdom, that I have a daughter who was beautiful asan houri in Paradise, save that she had a mole on her left cheek. This doctor said that for five shekels he would remove the mole, and that her cheek would “Allah OMES FROM PHILADELPHIA, AN’ HER FATHER'S A BUTCHER. SHE WANTS TO GET INTO OUR SET, BUT remain as the skin of the peach, soft and rosy. I procured the five shekels for him, and he put some fluid on the mole which caused a burning and an inflammation, that afterwards enlarged and burst, so that now my daughter is left hideous as the mother of Shitan.” “ Be chesm—on my eyes be it! and powders “Ttis,oh lord of mercy. But I did not know that this would happen, and I am ready to give back to the woman her five shekels.” “ You did not know? Now, by the sacred sandwich that the Prophet ate at Aden, how dared you undertake on the person of a true believer a thing of which you knew not what might be the consequences.” “T guessed that it would come out all right, your highness.” “Well, you guessed wrong, as you shall presently see. Where did you learn to gue: “At Oshkosh Medical University, your highness.” “ How long did you study there before you were allowed to ply your trade?” “Six months, oh, fountain of wisdom.” “Can you read or writ “No, your highness.” Is this true, man of pills comicbooks.com