The Wasp — 1895 — page 997: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts two men in conversation. The dialogue indicates one man is complaining of a headache, while the other suggests a remedy. The second man says "Take my tip" and advises the first to "try a little of that whiskey" as a cure. The joke satirizes a common folk remedy of the era: using alcohol to treat minor ailments. The cartoon mocks both the dubious medical advice and the enthusiasm with which some men promoted drinking as a health solution. This reflects Progressive Era skepticism toward unproven patent medicines and home remedies—though the irony is that the "cure" being suggested (whiskey) was itself often sold as medicinal. The advertisement for J.F. Cutter Extra Old Bourbon directly below reinforces this advertising strategy.