The Wasp — 1892 — page 215: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical page mocks fraudulent medical "cures" being promoted in San Francisco, likely from the late 19th century. The central panel depicts "Doctor Henry Cogswell" presenting a supposed cure to city citizens—a statue or monument bearing his name, suggesting self-aggrandizement masking snake-oil medicine. The surrounding vignettes ridicule gullible patients and dubious practitioners. References to "gold," "hard work cravings," and "Keely Cure" appear to lampoon specific contemporary medical scams. One panel shows characters at graves, implying these "cures" failed fatally. The satire targets both the charlatans peddling miracle treatments and the desperate citizens who believed them, reflecting widespread concern about unregulated medical fraud during this era.