Life, 1924-05-01 · page 4 of 40
Life — May 1, 1924 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Life magazine advertisement**, not political satire. It advertises "Life" brand patent medicine as a spring tonic. The cartoon shows a cherubic child in a top hat carrying a bottle labeled "LIFE MED" running energetically with text "Call the Doctor!" The ad plays on spring fever—a seasonal condition—to market Dr. Lire's stimulating tonic prescription. The humor is gentle wordplay: the magazine *Life* advertises "Life" brand medicine, positioning the product as a spring remedy for the season's "feverish interest" in various activities. The coupon offers free samples and "extra-special doses." This reflects early 20th-century patent medicine marketing, when such tonics were heavily advertised in magazines despite dubious efficacy. The advertisement occupies the entire page—there is no separate political cartoon here.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
\ N LIFE, Prescription Dept.. $98 Madison Ave. New York City enclosed (Can: reign, $1.40) One Year, $$.00 (Canadian, $5.80; Foreign, $6.60) NN It is time for a little spring tonic, and old Dr. Lir {. D. (Dispenser of HE spring-fever season is on; every one is taking a feverish interest in flowers, clothes, sports, Commencement, vacations, political conventions, love and Life Merriment), is ready with his stimulating prescriptions Fill out the little coupon in the corner, and the old Doctor will do the rest. He will send you ten beautiful copies of his world-famous cure, including the extra-special doses listed below. Let the Doctor take your impulse. COMMENCEMENT NUMBER = Ji TRAVEL NUMBER June 12 CONVENTION NUMBER June 19 FOURTH OF JULY NUMBER July 3 (Next week: The Winners of the War Prize Contest) aN comicbooks.com