Life, 1911-07-27 · page 29 of 40
Life — July 27, 1911 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes the early 20th-century medical and pseudo-scientific practice of blaming vague ailments on multiple competing "causes." A man with a headache consults various specialists—an eye doctor, stomach specialist, and nerve doctor—each claiming to have found *the* cause and selling him a different diagnosis (eye problem, stomach issue, nerves). The joke critiques both credulous patients and opportunistic practitioners who profit by multiplying explanations for a single symptom rather than actually solving the problem. The man ends up paying multiple specialists for contradictory "causes" while his original headache persists. This reflects skepticism toward the proliferation of medical specialization and commercial exploitation of health anxiety in that era—a satire on how capitalism can turn even diagnosis into a money-making scheme where the patient remains unsolved but financially drained. The accompanying Fisk Tires advertisement is unrelated commercial content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Cause Hunters Some Cause hunters came upon an Effect. They all agreed it was an E fect; but the owner of it said it was a Headache. They looked wise and said a Headache was merely a Symptom; what th really had was an Effect—and there must be a Cause. Each hunter started in a different direction to find the Cause— and each of them found it. “Here it is—it is mine—I found it,” each said, holding up the Cause he had tagged. Then they saw that each had brought back a different cause “What will we do?” said one. “ We can't all be right, and if we contend over it, the man might get suspicious.” That is easy,” said a resourceful one. “We are all Specialists; our time is valuable. We have been to some trouble in running down these Causes 1 sell them all Yo him, one at a time.” It was a happy idea, and when the man called to get the Cause, the hunters sent him first to the oculist. Oh, yes, I found your Cause,” he “It is in your eye.” And he sold the Cause for twenty dollars. Later, he not being satisfied, they sent him to the second hunter. “Oh, yes.” he said, “I found the Cause for your trouble. Here it is in this glass jar—from your stomach, you know.” And the man paid cheerful man as any man will when there is a Cause in his stomach. But after a while the man grew un- certain again, and was this time directed to the third hunter. “To be sure,” he said positively, “I The Original and (ienuine Chartreuse has always been and still is made by the Carthus- fan Monks (Pe Chartreux), who, since their expulsion from France, have been located at Tar- ragona, Spain; and, although the old labels and {esignlé originated by the Monks have been ad- Federal Courtsof this country to be sive property of the Monks, their ¥orld-renowned product is nowadays known as Liqueur Peres Chartreux —GREEN AND YELLOW— Rate 45 Broadway, New York, N. Sole Agents for United! FOR ANY RIM (Heavy Car Type Construction) These Are the Most Satis- factory Tires on the Market Today This statement is made with enthusiasm but with all due regard for the truth We are conservative advertisers and make this assertion only after the fact has been impressed upon us by users, again and again, in all parts of the country We refer you nottoa few testimonials but to ANY User of Fisk Tires. Tire Literature on Request THE Fisk Rubber Company Dept.S Chicopee Falls, Mass. 30 Direct Factory Branches tracked down the Cause. It is nerves.” And he sold him the Cause, and—seem- ingly—an interest in a sanitarium at the same time. But still the pelts of all these Causes did not seem to fit the man’s Effect. So he went to the fourth and fifth, even the sixth, and bought different Causes from each of them. Then at last he got dissatisfied, even angry, and began to say unpleasant things. “1 still have the he plained ache,” he com- 157 “Why, to be sure,” replied the spe- cialists. “You still have the Effect— and also the Causes—the most up-to- date, scientific ones that can be found. What more do you wan And the man admitted he had enough. William H, Hamby No “Seeing Nellie Home ™ Sue: Was it a restful place out at that country boarding house? He: Yes: in the parlor was a sign: “This piano is closed for repairs. —Boston Transcript. comicbooks.com