Life, 1919-05-22 · page 10 of 42
Life — May 22, 1919 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a narrative fiction piece, not political satire. The story concerns Abner Morton, who has suffered a nervous shock from an unspecified fall or accident. His doctor explains the condition affects "association areas of his cerebral cortex." The two illustrations show: (1) two young girls in a countryside setting picking flowers, and (2) passengers in a dining car on a train. The narrative focuses on Morton's wife consulting a doctor about her husband's mysterious condition and a letter the doctor sends. The story appears to explore early 20th-century attitudes toward neurology, nervous disorders, and psychological recovery — subjects gaining medical attention during this period. The page demonstrates Life magazine's practice of mixing serialized fiction with illustration.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
890 The Shock OR months Abner Morton had been suffering from amnesia. The faces of his friends had hecome strange to him, and he no longer was able to recognize even his wife and children. Furthermore, he could not remember his doctor, a famous specialist, who seemed not to be able to help him. “Now, doctor,” a Mrs. Morton, “isn't you can do for him?” “Vm afraid not, cialist, beard. iously inquired there anything nswered the spe- caressing his silky, pointed “You sce, it’s this way: At some time in the past your husband has suffered a nervous shock—from a fall, cause. perhaps, or from other That shock disturbed the ation 3 of his cerebral cor- some asso tex— “Yes, others have had the tion, haven't they? get cured of it? know. But ame sort of afilic- yes, doctor; I Does nobody ever “Occasionally, yes; but only occa- The in which normality was restored by the sionally hooks cite a few cases sustaining of a subsequent shock suf- ficient to counteract the effect of the original one.” “Then, doctor, why not try « Mr. Morton?” The distinguished indulgently. specialist smiled “My good woman, I have tried sev- eral, but without avail, When I sud- denly flashed a bright light before his eyes, he merely smiled ; a piece of ice te contentedly; when I bed and discharged a revolver, he yawned. I tell you—" “True—all very true, doctor, But it seems to me that if you really under- stood the case you ought to be able to devise a shock that would cure him.” “If I really understood! The The renowned specialist waxed in- dignant. Haughtily gloves, he stalked from the house to his waiting limousine. Arrived at the office, he penned to Abner Morton a crisp note, which he mailed immediately. The following morning Mrs. Morton handed the letter to her husband, who gazed at her vacantly as he accepted it. Tearing open the envelope, he read: when T applied his back, he sighed stood beside his drawing on his Younger Sister (on her two weeks in the country) + WHAT KIND OF FLOWERS ARE THESE Older Sister: WHY, THESE ARE THE KIND WE GET THREE CENTS A DOZEN FOR MAKING! “My dear Mr. Morton: Inasmuch as your wife has taken charge of your case, 1 with it, You will please notice that, because of the dissatis hereby sever my connection action I seem to have given, | am enclosing my check, which covers the amount of all your past bills.” Morton sat up in bed and gasped at the amount of the check. a hand Drawing cross his brow, he brushed from his brain and recognized his wife for the first time in months. away the cloud “ Darling!” he exclaimed, John J. Corcoran, PERSONS WE ARE NEVER PLACED OPPOSITE TO IN THE DININC CAR comicbooks.com