Life, 1909-04-08 · page 12 of 32
Life — April 8, 1909 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes two distinct topics: **"Great Fun at Albany!"** critiques a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where Dr. Lee testified about "two fanatical women" causing an "anti-vivisection crusade." The satire mocks both the sensationalism of the hearing and the dismissive attitude toward women activists concerned about animal testing—portraying the proceedings as theatrical spectacle rather than serious policy debate. **"Hysterics"** is a piece on the phenomenon of female hysteria in early 20th-century America. It describes hysterical episodes as "purely American" and notes they occur in women's clubs and meetings, often triggered by alcohol or emotional excitement. The text suggests such outbursts attack "upper classes" and occur at "stock exchanges" and "revival meetings." This reflects period medical attitudes viewing women's emotional expression as pathological and comedic.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A REGULAR PERFORMANCE “come, Go MoME, OWLEY. YoU DON’T WANT TO STAY OUT ALL DAY! "” Hysterics H STERICS are a purely American product, and are raised in apart- ment hotels, specialists’ offices and drug stores. They are also scen in women’s clubs and suffragettes’ meetings. Hysterics thrive best sprinkled with alcohol cither on the subject itself or the one nearest to it. They are also caused by the humble mouse. Hysterics are not common to men, but occasionally can be seen on the stock exchange or at revival meetings. Among women they attack the upper classes with the greatest vigor, and thrive on money. They came in with the tariff, and will go out with the resurrection. Hysterics may be physical or mental. When physical they attack without warn- ing the humblest millionairess; when mental, they have been known to dis- rupt philosophical circles. “TO err is human, to forgive, divine.” To criticise, devilish. HEN a woman suffers in silence she is in a critical condition. THERE'S BEEN MUKDEK MERE *LIFE- Great Fun at Albany! the hearing before the ry Committee, one Dr. Lee, an excitable champion of a gory cause, declared that “two fanatical women were alone responsible for the present antivivisection crusade." But his feet reached the ground later, and he apologized. This gentleman's opinions, however, are not important, except so far as they reflect the childlike confi- dence of other vivisectors. These bloody “scientists "’ are in honest ignorance of the offended Public Opinion that is now rolling up its sleeves. And when it once gets Vivisection across its knee there is going to be a spanking to make the welkin ring. After that, a barbarous license, which should never have been tolerated in a civilized age, will crawl to a back seat, so very far back that its itching fingers will be out of mischief. THOUGHT YOU SAIO THESE LoTs WERE IN A DRY SECTIO‘ " Agent; TMRY ARE, SIR, THERE'S NOT A SALOOM IN TWENTY MILES! ™ Goup Gkacious ! WHAT AN EXCELLENT MIRROR THIS MAN'S HEAD 18°7