The Wasp — 1890 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Content Analysis This page from *The Wasp* features two portrait photographs with biographical text rather than satirical cartoons. On the left is **Dr. Joseph Pescia**, a San Francisco physician completing his second term as a Board of Supervisors member. On the right is **Hon. W. H. Pratt**, United States Surveyor-General. The text praises both men as prominent civic figures. Pescia's biography emphasizes his medical credentials and public service; Pratt's details his pioneering California history and Republican political involvement. Rather than satire, this appears to be a respectful profile feature showcasing San Francisco's establishment leadership—suggesting *The Wasp* occasionally published serious biographical content alongside its satirical material, possibly serving as a civic publication for the city's elite readership.