Life, 1901-06-06 · page 13 of 28
Life — June 6, 1901 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**The Main Cartoon ("Mystery of the Pyramids"):** A figure stands surrounded by Egyptian pyramids covered in numerical calculations, declaring "I can read everything but them!" This satirizes pseudo-scientific attempts to decode hidden meanings in the pyramids—a popular craze of the era. The joke mocks those who claim special knowledge while remaining baffled by the actual subject. **"Words of Cheer":** This section ridicules Dr. Charles E. Page's dismissal of germ theory, quoting his absurd claim that germs entering a healthy body have "about as good a chance of doing harm as a mouse in a tight room surrounded by a dozen hungry cats." Life satirizes this anti-scientific nonsense by presenting it as folly masquerading as wisdom. **"The Very First Time":** A brief comedic sketch about a man forcing himself onto an overcrowded streetcar, sarcastically called the "hog car." **"Confound Plotts":** A joke about a man who enjoys practical jokes specifically because they make others uncomfortable. The page critiques pseudoscience and celebrates common sense over false expertise.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Inhabitant of Mare to Sphine: 1 CAN READ EVERYTIING HUT THEM ! A Combination. FPHE Summer Girl, with rush and whirl, Is with us, ever new; And so are we, you will agree, Right with Her, bless Her, too. Words of Cheer. R. CHARLES E. PAGE, of Bos- ton, in a paper read before the American Socjal Science Association, said: “The so-called ‘germ’ is actually the product, or result, and not the cause, and the germ theory, as at present held, is another of the many instances in medicine of cart before the horse.” He also gives us hope in asserting that ‘the fact of the matter is, that a pathogenic microbe entering the healthy human body, whether by acci- dent or with malice prepense, stands about as good a chance of doing harm THE MYSTERY OF THE PYRAMIDS. as a mouse in a tight room, surrounded by a dozen hungry cats.” This interesting article winds up with these words of wisdom which certain ‘scientists ’ might digest with profit to themselves and toa long-suf- fering public: ‘In conclusion, it is high time that we considered the problem of having less science and more sense; we must learn that true science and good sense are always in accord with each other.” The Very First Time. GTouTMAN (struggling and érowding to force himself onto the packed step of a Broadway open car): What's this—the hog car? ELDERLY PasseNGER: Yes! right on. Humph ! Jump “(XONFOUND Plotts, he’s never happy unless he’s playing a practical joke on some unfortunate.” “Yes. He’s never comfortable un- less everybody else is uncomfortable.””