The Wasp — 1887 — page 235: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes public opinion regarding access to mental institutions. The imagery shows two classical female allegorical figures at the gates of an "Insane Asylum." One figure stands outside at a door marked "Private Interest," while another waits at the ornate main gate, representing the public. The caption "Public Opinion: 'Shut That Side-Door'" suggests that public opinion demands closing the private entrance—implying that wealthy or connected individuals were gaining preferential access to asylums through back channels, while ordinary citizens faced barriers. The satire criticizes how private interests circumvented public institutions for personal benefit, advocating instead for transparent, equitable access. This reflects late-19th-century concerns about institutional corruption and class-based privilege in America's emerging healthcare system.