The Wasp — 1891 — page 361: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon series mocks the contemporary fad of hypnotism by depicting its misuse in various scenarios. The panels show: 1. A lawyer hypnotizing jurors to secure a "not guilty" verdict in a murder case 2. A messenger boy being hypnotized to ensure obedience 3. A boy hypnotizing himself at a closed pool room 4. Someone hypnotizing "Kearny Street dudes and ladies" (San Francisco street culture) 5. A police officer hypnotizing a suspect into confessing The satire critiques how hypnotism—a trendy pseudoscience of the era—could theoretically be weaponized by authority figures and con artists to manipulate people's behavior and justice systems. The humor lies in imagining these absurd but revealing applications of this fashionable but poorly understood practice.