Life — November 30, 1916 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 934 This page satirizes vivisection (animal testing) through a fable titled "One Thousand More Nights: The Story of the Blind Merchant and the Ladies of Manhattan." The main illustration depicts two blind men designing colorful "rainment" (clothing) for Manhattan society women. The accompanying editorial sidebar, titled "A Credulous Luminary," critiques the *New York Evening Sun* for endorsing animal experimentation without acknowledging ethical concerns. The satire argues that vivisectionists rely on "deep ignorance" to justify testing on "helpless little animals" in hospitals and asylums. The cartoon's fantastical premise—blind men creating fashion—serves as a metaphor for society accepting harmful practices based on blind faith rather than moral scrutiny. The "How It Works" section mocks credulous acceptance of dubious claims, using Mrs. Crawford's education efforts as counterpoint to scientific recklessness.