The Wasp — 1888 — page 340: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes medical rivalries and incompetence, captioned "His cure, but—the patient dies." Four men in formal dress argue animatedly outside a building, while figures appear on the roof above them (suggesting observers or additional characters). The satire likely critiques competing physicians or medical practitioners of the era who prioritize winning professional disputes over actually saving patients. The exaggerated facial expressions and gestures emphasize their self-absorbed quarreling. The ironic title "Equal Contest" suggests these rivals are evenly matched in their incompetence—their competition is pointless because the patient dies regardless of who "wins" the argument. This reflects 19th-century concerns about medical malpractice and professional turf wars overshadowing patient welfare.