Life, 1921-12-29 · page 9 of 35
Life — December 29, 1921 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical cartoon critiques claims that the War Risk Insurance Hospital (formerly the Polyclinic) had been cleaned up to "80 per cent." cleanliness by Dr. T.O. Cobb of the U.S. Public Health Service. The four scenes mock the absurdity of this partial-cleanliness claim by showing people applying "80 per cent." logic to everyday situations: a teacher giving a student an incomplete grade for being "not 80 per cent. clean," a waiter promising imperfect service, a grocer selling eggs claimed to be "80 per cent. strictly fresh," and a lawyer defending a client as "80 per cent. innocent." The joke exposes how ridiculous it is to accept substandard conditions in a hospital using this fraction, suggesting the facility remains fundamentally unsanitary despite official reassurances.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE An 80 Per Cent. Samaritan “We were horrified at the filthy conditions prevailing in zhat Hospital. . . . Dirt and litter were everywhere . . . a cruel insult to the helpless and wounded there. ... The War Risk Insurance Hospital (formerly the Polyclinic), described as above by members of the Amateur Comedy Club, is declared by Dr. T. O. Cobb of the U, S. Public Health Service to be 80 per cent. clean. Teacher: 1m afraid T can’t mark Waiter: Pardon me, sir, but if you perfect to-day, Freddy; you are you will count your change again, not 80 per cent. clean behind the I think you will find it to be 80 ears, per cent. correct. Grocer: Yes, lady, them eggs are Lawyer: Gentlemen of the jury, the very best in the market. None you have only to look at the face better. They’re 80 per cent. strictly of my client to know that she is 80 fresh. per cent. innocent. comicbooks.com