Life, 1910-01-06 · page 46 of 76
Life — January 6, 1910 — page 46: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This story satirizes both scientific ambition and economic desperation in the early 20th century. A doctor seeks a desperate, unemployed man with a family to use as a human subject for brain experiments—literally removing part of his skull while poisoning him to death, observing the brain as it dies. The satire operates on multiple levels: it mocks mad-scientist pretensions to "revolutionize human life" through unethical experimentation, while simultaneously critiquing economic inequality—the doctor can only find a willing subject among the desperately poor with "no prospects." The title "A Bargain in Brains" suggests both the doctor's clinical assessment and the grim transaction: a poor man selling his life for money. The accompanying car illustration ("Love May Laugh at Locksmiths") appears unrelated, typical of magazine layout conventions of the era. The story's continuation on page 48 indicates this is serialized fiction, likely darkly comedic rather than realistic fiction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PREPARING FOR THE JOT RIVE A Bargain in Brains “yet need help, don't you? "’, The coctor leaned forward as he looked sharply into They were alone in his office 1,“ for independence “T would Why did you send for me How did you know “We have means of finding out from the hospital. Of course it took to determine upon you. As you say, there are of people who are Lard up, but to find just the right combination for our purposes—well, wasn’t easy “And you think you have found it—in me? LOVE MAY LAUGH AT LOCKSMITHS, BUT— You have the necessary organic struc- ation shows.’ proposition? "* You have three children?" nd a wife?" “And a wif “Out of a job “I'm out of a job.” prospects? "* “No prospects.”” The doctor locked his office door. “Tam right on the edge,’’ he whispered, “ a discovery relating to the structure of the brain, If I can arrive at certain results which are now within my grasp, all human life will be completely revolutionized. But I can pro- ceed no further until I have placed a live brain under exami ration. I shall have to remove a large part of the skull, after giving a slow poison, and “You mean?"" ¢ got to watch the brain as the life leaves it.” octor rubbed his hands enthusiastically and his eye brighten zing prospect “A large part of every human being is always dead,” he (Continued on poge 48) ’ N | | | \ comicbooks.com