Life, 1927-11-24 · page 8 of 44
Life — November 24, 1927 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes medical quackery and folk remedies. The illustration shows a doctor figure examining a patient beneath a palm tree, while the accompanying dialect-heavy text parodies African American vernacular speech patterns (common in early 20th-century Life magazine satire). The joke critiques ineffective "cure-all" treatments and charlatan doctors who promise health through dubious means. The palm tree setting suggests tropical or exotic remedies, which were marketed as miracle cures during this era. The patient's complaints and the doctor's responses mock both gullible patients seeking quick fixes and unscrupulous practitioners exploiting them. The satire targets the broader problem of medical fraud and superstition in healthcare, though the use of dialect humor reflects problematic editorial choices typical of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“poy! YOU SHOULD HAVE GONE TO YALE.” “The Road to Health” Y, lissun, ya guttenny awntch shuybutt downare? Aventch shuybutt.... Onnussly, ‘aymussbee deff!... AWNTCH. CH... no, a Yuh; thassit....Well, issez awntch shuy- butt ontha billa fare, annye sent Eddy dowfa some, co thawwantssum furra di never come near me aigottenny?...Isall gon I'moffassorry,maddum, buthz shuybuttizz awgone.... Yuh, we gus- sum breppuddn, .. Annodderra brep puddn........Ainatta lim- mut, Carmunneeter, wooncha thinkade make enuffta lass, hoh?...1 wenna tha doctor lass night, Carmunneeter. Oh, nuthn, ony T aibin feelun juss right... .Onnussly, them doctors izza limmut....They aigonnoe sensa yooma. Thass tha truth, they aigon- nomore sensa yooma enna dead puyssun....He sezzta mee, ‘Yar unneemick, thassa trouble withya, mick,’ he sezz, annye tooum, ‘Howja know my nash- nallty?" [I sezz, annee never even crackd f he never even smiled....So then I assit 2 -» Yessum, themmizz pimmennocheess wichuss....How many ++.So thennee sezz thammye yar unnee- 22- bluddiz: annare got too many red cawpussls, atun up awtha why-ca -Ainnat awful, huh Annee s I otta lie out inna sun without enny cloze on, annye tole im, I sezz, ‘Well, ifya wuzzn a doctor anya made any sush suggeshun tamee, I'd cernly be offennud, I cernly would,’ I sezz, anneeven then, he pussls, see j Z seeriuss, onnussly, Carmun- neeter, iwwuzza scream, he dint have tha slice bittuvva sensa yooma, annye finely sezz tooum, I sezz, ‘Well, isseems ta me ya mussa made a mistake this time, doctor,’ I sezz, ‘because,’ I sezz, ‘1 been go-un roun prackully tha lass three years,’ I s in an’ y out,’ I se see whadiffnce iss gonna make, juss takun off tha few cloze I got jeff, I se annonnussta Gawd, Carmun necter, I never gotta smile outuy vum....He looked kina puzzulld, though....So I’m gonna fiss up a place on tha fire-usscape nex spring an’ give tha uz a treat... I'll letcha know when tha big ack is comun off, anya can tell allya boy frenns ta come roun........ Nome, I'm sorry, we aigonnoe awntch shuy- butt leff....We got breppuddn, tape-yoaker cussed, ‘n’ flone island.’ Heman Fay, Jr. Preparedness “ TUAN,” said the Mexican politi- cian to his major-domo, “have you checked that shipment of ma- chine guns?” “Yes, sir,” replied Juan. “Have you issued rifles to all of my followers?” “Yes, sir. I have given out thirty five thousand rifles and three hundred and fifty thousand rounds of am- munition.” “Good!” exclaimed the politician “And have those hes placed at st “Yes, sir.” “And has my headquarters been stocked for a two-year cannon been gical point res, sir. All of that has been attended to.” “Excellent. Now I'll an- nounce my candidacy for President.” JOHLT. Only Too True HE I: Did he really mean it when he said he wouldn't pet? Sur Il: Yes, he was as good as his word. ONSOLATION: With the servant problem the way it is, at least there is no im- mediate danger of any broth’s being spoiled. a H EAR no evil, see no evil, speak no evil,” and you'll never be a success at a tea party. comicbooks.com | | |