Life, 1899-12-14 · page 3 of 20
Life — December 14, 1899 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 507 **Main Illustration:** Shows an elderly woman (likely a caregiver or nurse) sitting beside an iron fence with a young child, captioned "What Might Have Been - If Mrs. Werthen Were Born of Other Parents." **Political Context:** The page discusses the Boer War, referencing British military losses and accusations against the English regarding treatment of prisoners and hospital attacks. There's also commentary on vaccination deaths investigated by the New York State Board of Health, where two children reportedly died despite vaccination. **The Satire:** The cartoon appears to critique either British imperial conduct during the Boer War or parental responsibility in vaccination cases—the caption suggests examining how circumstances of birth/parentage shape moral outcomes. A smaller cartoon titled "The Two Generators" shows skeletal and living figures, likely symbolizing death and life. The page blends political criticism with social commentary on public health and parental duty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
day and his fifteen hundred followers have been deserting by thousands, All of which seems to indicate that the Anglo-Saxon is not a skilful liar. HE VISITOR: Busy, old man? Mopern Avtnor: Busy! Why I'm writing so much that I don’t have time to think. “HE Now York Stato Board of Health has investigated the death of two children reported to havo died from tho effects of compulsory vaccination, It re- ports that the children did not dio of vaccination Lut of parental neglect. The bandages on tho sore arms were not properly looked after, and ono child died of lockjaw and tho other of blood-poisoning, Tho parents, it seems, were ignorant and dirty, and did not carry out the instructions of tho phy- sicians. Tho explanation seems not very helpful to the cause of compulsory — vaccination, If tho State takes the re- sponsibility of vaccinating children, it should also tako tho responsibility of making suro that they havo proper caro afterwards, HE Atlantic Monthly for November has this line of poetry: “Some honse them with their kin toxtde,” Can it be possible that cannibalism is becoming rampant in Boston? WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. IP MRS, WETTEN WERE BORN OF OTHER PARENTS, Those British Victories. And finally, we learn officially that the OW inspiriting they are, according to first despatches. Several British killed, to be sure, but the estimates of Boer losses are appalling. And the ‘gallantry of our troops” is simply splendid. Later despatches show British losses considerably heavier than at first esti- mated, and the Boers still in pursuit. English are shut up in Lady Jones or Mrs, Smith, or some other absurd town, and their reinforcements cut off. It is generally at this stage that the Boers are accused of violat- ing flags of truce, shooting at hospitals and murdering prisoners, We have had the same experience in the Philippines, For about a year Aguinaldo has been on the point of capture from day to THE TWO GENERATIONS, comicbooks.com