Life, 1915-04-15 · page 42 of 44
Life — April 15, 1915 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily advertising, not political satire. The main editorial content is a brief satirical piece titled "Another Cancer Cure" that critiques the medical establishment's tendency to promote successive "miracle" treatments without addressing underlying problems. The satire's point: doctors enthusiastically announce a new serum as a major breakthrough, claiming it supersedes radium treatment for cancer. However, the author (E.O.J.) notes that radium itself was once celebrated as a sure cure, only to later cause cancers to become more malignant. The piece argues that each new "cure" may eliminate symptoms without actually curing the disease—a cyclical pattern of medical fashion rather than genuine progress. The surrounding advertisements (Evans' Ale, P&O Cunard Line cruises, Vogue fashion magazine, London Cigarettes) are typical period marketing unrelated to the satire's message.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: Another Cancer Cure MARVELOUS new. serum suc- cess, for use in cancer, is an- nounced on the authority of the learned doctors composing the Medical Board of the General Memorial Hospital. Now that the vogue of serums_ is thoroughly established, cancer cures promise to be invented almost too fast for the newspapers to print convincing reports about them. There can be no doubt, however, that this new serum is to be taken ONLY GOOD THINGS 9 America’s savpties ROUND THE WORLD TOURS The Best Regular Services to EGYPT, INDIA, CHINA, PHILIP- PINES, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND. Round World Trips ond Winter Tours in INDIA. PEN- INSULAR & ORIENTAL 8, N.CO. Full information trom CUNARD LINE, 24 State St., ettles and spllis hy all Coed Dealers Favorites for 129 Years | seriously, for it is said to be “one of the most important contributions to science emanating from the medical profession in this country”. The only question is how long it will be im- portant; that is, how long will this cure be a cure? Its sponsors frankly admit that this serum supersedes the use of radium in cancer, which in itself is clear gain. While it lasted, radium was perhaps one of the surest cures for cancer that we ever had, and easily One of the smart, yet not necessarily-expensive models from VOGUE’S SMART FASHIONS for LIMITED INCOMES Number, Dated April 15th NOW READY PRM AES ES SN “one of the most important contribu- tions to science emanating from the medical profession in this country”. We see now, however, that the only trouble with the radium treatment jis that it causes cancers to become much more malignant than they were in the first place. Indeed, none of them has been able to escape this objection, All of these “cures” cure, but none of them gets rid of the cancer. E.O.) OW that the time for buying new clothes is at hand, Vogue's value is at its greatest. A complete guide to the Spring wardrobe of in- dividuality, distinction, correctness, is the new Vogue now on sale— a guide that not only furnishes valuable ideas, but saves costly failures. Many pages in the Smart Fashions for Limited Incomes Number are devoted to her who must dress fashionably at moderate cost. Those hats, gowns, suits and accessories of this season that can be relied upon to hold their style for months to come are illustrated and described in this Vogue. VOGUE Twice a month 25 cents a number REAR CULAR aA Y AE F SEES PETER J. CAREY, PRINTER 443 FOURTH AVE., NEW YORK Conde Nast, Poblisher $4 a year Tecenty-four numbers