The Wasp — 1877 — page 337: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical page illustrates the dangers of counterfeit or adulterated medications—a significant public health concern in the 19th century when drug regulation was minimal. The circular vignettes show various mishaps: upper left depicts chaos in what appears to be a home or medical setting; lower left shows someone in distress. The right side, titled "Effects of Spurious Drugs," depicts multiple figures suffering various ailments and complications. The central text emphasizes these are consequences of fake or contaminated pharmaceuticals. The cartoons mock both the pharmaceutical industry's lack of oversight and perhaps consumers' gullibility. This reflects genuine historical anxieties about unregulated patent medicines and fraudulent remedies that plagued American consumers during this era, before FDA oversight existed.