Life, 1913-10-09 · page 17 of 44
Life — October 9, 1913 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct satirical pieces from an early 20th-century American magazine: **"Why Not?"** mocks the eugenics debate of the era. It references James Bryce's concerns about overpopulation in South America, then sarcastically argues that doctors shouldn't work to reduce death rates among poor people—since saving poor lives increases the population burden, while wealthy patients (who can "afford to be operated upon") are already declining in number. The satire exposes the cruel logic underlying contemporary class-based attitudes toward medicine and population control. **"Blank Form"** is a template for railroad accident reports, satirizing how such accidents were standardized and routinely reported. It mocks the predictable narrative: conflicting accounts of speed, the crossing's notorious danger, official powerlessness, and the inevitable coroner's verdict of "Death—from causes unknown." This ridicules both corporate negligence and institutional indifference to preventable deaths. Together, these pieces critique social Darwinism, class inequality in healthcare, and corporate accountability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Why Not? “Tf the present rate of growth should continue for a few centurics, there presently will be little room left on the planet."—James Bryce, in his recent boob on South America. HE question. naturally resolves itse’’ into whether it is worth while to make any systemaiic, scientific effort to decrease the death rate. Are there too many people already, and will there not be a great many more than there should be? The worst of it all is, from the doctors’ standpoint, that the people who are increasing are these people who cannot pay over-much for operations, whereas those people who can afford to be operated upon are becoming less in num- ber. Is it not time, therefore, for the doctors to consider the problem seriously? Why work for humanity when the only return will be such an increase in humanity that there will be no profit in the performing of remarkable, interior, antiseptic ex- plorations? Would it not be wise for the doctors (so long as they are working for humanity) to operate upon all the poor people? The population can thus be kept within rea- sonable limits, and Mr. Bryce’s prognostications be unful- filled. Blank Form To be Kept in All Newspaper Offices and Filled in as Occasion May Require seeeeees yesterday Mr. and Mrs. vee and + were run over by a railroad «see. R. R. at the grade crossing on the road just below .......ce00 ceeeeeeeee WEF instantly killed, . were badly crippled and their ceseeseees Was badly The chauffeur was death is expected at any moment. injured, but may pull through. Accounts of the accident differ widely. The railroad officials state that the auto was going at least wher questioned said the auto was standing still. he grade crossing has long been known as one of the most dangerous in the state. The local authorities say they can do nothing about the matter. The coroner rendered a verdict: “ Death—from causes unknown.” miles an hour. comicbooks.com