Life, 1909-03-25 · page 9 of 36
Life — March 25, 1909 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes early-20th-century medical ethics and social hypocrisy. "A Little Confession" describes a doctor who conducted dangerous experiments on poor patients (spreading diphtheria, smallpox, and scarlet fever into their lungs) to test treatments—justified as scientific advancement. The satire criticizes how wealthy society embraces such "scientists" while remaining ignorant of patient harm. The lower section, "The Requirements of Social Position," mocks how society women obsess over status markers. The illustration shows a woman dismissing suffrage concerns, prioritizing social standing instead. The caption quotes her refusing to support women's suffrage because it conflicts with maintaining her elevated social position—satirizing how privileged women ignore broader women's rights for personal prestige.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WHAT HOLDS WOMAN DOW MER MAT. Lady Speaker Voice from Gallery Laissez Faire HE point in the armor of those people who insist upon being let alone they desire to select the particular point in the road at which the non-interfer- 1 begin and before which they usually require a good deal of attention. Before being let entirely alone, they desire to be given a protective tariff, or a political office, weak ist ence sh; or a franchise, or a patent, or a charter, or in inheritance, or something similar. Man wants but little here below, but he to be let alone when he gets it The Secret is Out ITH the announcement that Bryan is going to make upwards of $100,000 ason for the raising Only in on the lecture st, of the President's salary is obvious. that way can it be proved that Byran was really defeated. LITTLE gossip now and then is em- bellished by the most of women “on, 1 393 A Little Confession ‘OR this the New York Herald I made the experiments upon seventeen people between the ages of fifteen and thirty years, but in no instance could a case of consumption, scarlet fever, smallpox or diphtheria be produced. These experiments were made in the following manner: I sprayed the poisons of diphtheria, smallpox, scarlet fever or consumption into the throat, nose, or had them breathe them into the lungs, repeating the experiment in most cases every one or two weeks for months, with the result that no disease could be developed, Of course, [ not let the paticnts know what I was doing. 1 was supposed to be treating them for catarth of the nose or throat extract. we are indebted to This doctor is a true nts on ani mals are of little use unless verified upon hu did his duty * Scientist.” Experin: pans. He merely ccording to his lights. And so, gentle reader, when your wife, husband, child or parent is being treated by an advocate vivisection, do yourself to be disconcerted if the patient develops some unexpected disease entlemen that “a human Are we not informed by these life nothing to a new fact in science The Requirements of Social Position AM ill,” says the social leader, dismally. “Too bad, ates his secretary.“ Shall 1 sum- mon a physicis “Summon one? nd for twenty physicians. Telephon ture to the newspape ing that there is anything the matier with me and that my indisposition will not have a serious effect on the mar. what it the photographer to send copies of my latest pic . Prepare a typewritten statement deny- asserting ket. Haven't you had enough experience to know means when a man of my position is ill? THE WORST OF IT COULD DEPEND ON YOU TO PORWARD THE CAUSE FMOUGHT WE OF WOMAN’S SUFFRAGE.” witat, PUTURE REFERENCE AND ALL TERED LIKE CATTLE, WITH YOUR SET DOWN FOR THAT? Never!" mE RE comicbooks.com