The Wasp — 1890 — page 203: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts the Louisiana Lottery as a disease-spreading "wasp" attacking society. The large female figure appears to represent the lottery itself or its corrupting influence, wielding a stinger labeled with a crescent moon (likely representing Louisiana). Below her, small human figures—appearing to be politicians, citizens, and officials—flee or collapse, shown as victims of the "influenza." The chaotic scene with people emerging from what looks like a government building suggests the lottery's pervasive corruption of public institutions. The Louisiana Lottery was a historically notorious gambling operation known for widespread bribery and political corruption in the late 19th century. This cartoon satirizes how the lottery's influence spread like disease through the body politic, infecting government and society. The "wasp" mascot of *The Wasp* magazine makes the metaphor literal.