The Wasp — 1889 — page 348: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains several short pieces and poems rather than cartoons. The content includes: **"The Rose Incense"** and **"Eavesdropping"** — romantic/sentimental poems typical of period magazines. **"The Most Successful Doctor"** — a satirical anecdote mocking medical practitioners. It describes a poor man who consults doctors about his ailments; a quack physician becomes more celebrated than legitimate doctors through self-promotion and bold claims, despite being ignorant. This criticizes 19th-century medical fraud and charlatanism. **"No More Spirits in Hers"** — satire of spiritualism, mocking a wealthy widow attending séances and being gulled by fraudulent mediums through table-rapping tricks. The remaining pieces are poetry and brief comedic dialogues on various topics. The overall tone is satirical toward quackery, fraud, and gullibility.