Life, 1913-06-12 · page 16 of 44
Life — June 12, 1913 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This dialogue cartoon attacks animal experimentation (vivisection), a major early-20th-century controversy. A critic confronts laboratory researchers who experiment on "charity patients, foundlings, orphans, dogs, monkeys, guinea pigs." The satire highlights the hypocrisy: researchers justify testing on the poor and vulnerable to "cure" diseases, yet their experiments produce poisoning and death. When challenged why they don't test on themselves or fellow scientists, they deflect with hostility. The final cartoon panel, "Which is the Real Victim?", depicts a well-dressed gentleman being attacked by street thugs—sarcastically suggesting vivisectors (not their test subjects) are the true victims of criticism. The "News of the Day" section parodies government absurdity through exaggeration (Bryan's office-bound decree, Suffragettes deported, after-dinner speeches requiring approval)—typical Life magazine political mockery of the Progressive Era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OOD morning, gentlemen. What! You here again? I wish to congratulate you on your perseverance, your ability, and on your brilliant success—— Now you are talking. As gay deceivers. The public is beginning to suspect that you are not only misguided cranks but also— Throw a brick at hinit Irresponsible degenerates. Put the idiot out. Kick him down- Stairs! People are asking now if normal adults could persist in your childish experiments. Where’s the fun in pumping diseases of your own manu- facture into everything you can lay your hands on? We don't. Little Chats With Vivisectors Charity patients, foundlings, or- phans, dogs, monkeys, guinea pigs— all are considered good material. We do it to cure ’em, Yes. We are beginning to know those cures. Cures followed by blood poisoning, lock-jaw and death. Not so loud, you fool! Why don’t you squirt poverty into a pauper to bring him wealth? Or folly into a fool to make him wise? Oh, shoo! Go chase yourself? But you are good farmers. You are raising more crazy ideas to the acre than any other asylum in the country. Look here, Smarty, we have had enough of this, No you haven't. get more, and from many sources. You are going to In the meantime squirt some of your favorite diseases into your own spinal columns. Not much! No, you never do that. But you tried it on two or three of your fel- low scientists— Hush, you ass!’ Not so loud! Well, you know what the results were. But now I have no more time to waste on— Be careful. Distinguished benefactors of the human race. And so, gentlemen, I will take my leave. Good riddance; and bad luck to you. Thanks. And you, gentlemen, may you live long and prosper— Get out. — in some better business. News of the Day (As it ought to be) ECRETARY OF STATE BRYAN S announces that he will make no more speeches, do no more trav- eling and from this time forward will be found every day in his office in Washington. The deportation of English Suf- fragettes to New Zealand began last week, Mrs. Pankhurst with four hun- dred followers debarked in the Beller- ophon. Governor Sulzer will take a course in a business college to perfect himself in etiquette and letter-writing. The New York baseball team won a game of ball. ity thousand women, clad in calico prints, from all over the country pa- traded Broadway and denounced the turkey trot and the tendency of mod- ern woman's clothes. A bureau of after-dinner speakers was announced from the White House. Hereafter all who intend to deliver after-dinner speeches will have to sub- mit them first to the Department for approval. The Woolen Manufacturers Asso- ciation passed a resolution of thanks to Oscar Underwood for his distin- guished services in passing the new tariff bill. WHICH IS THE REAL VICTIM? * comicbooks.com