Life — June 30, 1927 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis: "Water—$10 a Glass" This page is primarily a **public health advertisement** disguised as satire, published by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. The cartoon depicts two men in suits discussing water treatment. The dialogue reveals the satire's target: a wealthy person who paid $10 per glass for water at an expensive spa/health resort abroad, only to learn their doctor prescribed simply drinking more water—costing nothing. The joke mocks **health tourism and expensive "miracle cures"** while promoting practical, free health habits. The accompanying text earnestly advocates drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily, warns against contaminated water sources (particularly typhoid from untreated wells), and recommends medical consultation before traveling. This reflects early 20th-century public health campaigns promoting hygiene and preventive medicine, presented through humor to engage readers.