Life — October 16, 1919 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily **advertising and reader letters**, not political satire. The main content features: 1. **"Rubberset" advertisement** (right side): A humorous ad for hairbrushes with the tagline "man, oh man! what if the cooties had been RUBBERSET, too!" This references **WWI soldiers' widespread louse infestations**—a genuine wartime problem. The joke suggests Rubberset brushes are so durable they could even survive delousing procedures. The accompanying letter from a soldier (Stanley Shultz) describes using the brush in a "Cootie Mill" process for cleaning clothes. 2. **Left side**: An "Electric Cleaners" advertisement offering various vacuum cleaner brands. 3. **Bottom**: Reader letters about unrelated topics (philosophy, dogs). The humor relies on readers' familiarity with the unglamorous reality of WWI trench warfare—specifically the persistent parasite problem that plagued soldiers.