Life, 1917-03-15 · page 14 of 42
Life — March 15, 1917 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top illustration, titled "When Good Fellows Get Together," depicts angels gathered around a piano in heaven, playing music together—a lighthearted afterlife scene suggesting camaraderie and fellowship. Below, the text discusses medical diagnosis and treatment, mentioning a doctor (Dr. Lance) examining a patient, likely addressing liver disease. The phrase "the northern end of your liver is affected" appears to be either genuine medical discussion or satirical commentary on contemporary medical practice. The bottom illustration, "Commuters' Insomnia," shows figures in contorted, energetic poses—likely satirizing the sleep deprivation and stress experienced by commuting workers, a social concern of the era. The page combines genteel humor with social observation about turn-of-the-century American life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
f Uy y who has entered unobtrusively, mix a restorative in a graduated medicine glass. The climactic moment of the little drama has come and the Specialist bends over the patient, who is now in the desired state of abject fright, listens to his breathing and his heart action, and then turns him over on his back while the trained nurse steps forward with the medicine glass and administers its contents with the mute intimation that it will keep him alive a few minutes longer. Then the Spe- cialist listens to his liver and hearkens to his kidneys while the staff hover near with anxious faces. “My first diagnosis was right,” says the great one, addressing his staff and ignoring the patient completely; “it is the liver, but not our end.” Then to the patient, who has scram- bled into sitting posture and is wiping the sweat of terror from his brow: “The northern end of your liver is af- “WHEN GOOD FELLOWS GET TOGETHER” fected. I specialize only in the south- ern end. I should not care to operate. Have this prescription filled and go to Dr. Lancet on the floor below. In the event of an operation, the St. Bunkem Hospital is the best place. They take nothing but northerly liver cases.” And with his own fee, a part of Dr. Lancet’s plunder and the rake-off on the drug-store and hospital, the Spe- cialist_ has done a good half-hour’s work, COMMUTERS’ INSOMNIA comicbooks.com