Life — October 24, 1918 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes the medical profession's increasing specialization. Three well-dressed men examine a seated patient, who appears exhausted or overwhelmed. The central figure holds what appears to be a medical palette or chart covered with markings—likely representing excessive diagnoses or treatments. The sign in the background reads "DOCTOR LURENDORFF" and mentions "DISEASES" and "SPECIALTY" (text partially obscured). The joke targets medical specialists who over-complicate diagnosis through excessive testing or subspecialization, potentially overtaxing the patient rather than helping them. The cartoon critiques how contemporary medical practice—increasingly fragmented among specialists—may burden rather than benefit patients. The patient's dejected posture suggests frustration with this proliferation of expert opinions and procedures.