The Wasp — 1878 — page 368: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains satirical correspondence and a "Surgical" humor column rather than a political cartoon. The letters mock various social issues: one ridicules sentimental romance and broken engagements; another satirizes the vastness of America's population and the prevalence of fools; a third mocks dramatic actors' inflated egos. The surgical section jokes about a surgeon's eyebrows and features a comedic exchange about medical practice—including a prisoner's complaint about an "evil smell" in the corridor, which the surgeon dismissively attributes to "A hypothetical Swiss cheese." The satire targets Victorian sentimentality, American boastfulness, theatrical pretension, and medical indifference rather than specific political figures. It's representative of *The Wasp's* general social commentary approach.