Life, 1899-06-01 · page 26 of 26
Life — June 1, 1899 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The cartoon satirizes medical billing practices. A patient, appearing ill in bed, asks a doctor to "tell me the worst"—expecting dire news about their health. The doctor's punchline reveals the real catastrophe: a bill for $96.75. The joke plays on the era's anxieties about medical costs, suggesting that the financial burden of healthcare was as dangerous as the illness itself. This reflects genuine turn-of-the-century concerns about affordability of medical care. The page is primarily advertising—for Gorham silverware (wedding gifts) and Sorosis women's shoes ($3.50/pair)—typical of Life's model as a satirical magazine subsidized by commercial advertisements.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“TELL ME THE WORST, DocTOR!"* “WELL, SINCE YOU INSIST—YOU OWE ME JUST NINRTY-S1X DOLLARS AND SRVENTY-FIVE CENTS.” Wedding Silver Intending purchasers of Wedding Gifts should bear in mind the fact that the Gorham Co., Silversmiths. is the most important house in this line. Its reputation is due in a large degree to its ability to produce constantly and in great profusion the choicest specimens in Sterling Silver at reasonable prices. GORHAM MFG. CO. SILVERSMITHS BROADWAY AND NINETEENTH ST. JAMES McCREERY & CO., BROADWAY & 11TH ST. Made to fit well and to wear well. It is certain to be comfortable “Sorosis” Shoe The New Shoe for Women, and elegant. There is no other shoe so thoroughly satisfactory. Our Broadway store has the exclusive control, for New York City, of the celebrated “SOROSIS” SHOE. The standard for Comfort, Style, Durability and Economy. Twenty-five styles, sizes 1 to 9, and widths AAA to E, one price throughout, $3.50 per pair. JAMES McCREERY & CO., BROADWAY & 11TH ST, PRESS OF THE J. W. PRATT CO., NEW YORK.