The Wasp — 1891 — page 421: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains a satirical story rather than a political cartoon. The illustration shows a well-dressed figure surrounded by money, introducing a narrative about a South American traveler describing an unusual society. The satire mocks a fictional place where people use animals as currency (birds, horses, cows) instead of money, and where drunkards are "sacred." The story ridicules both the traveler's credulous nature and, implicitly, fantastical travel narratives popular in the era. The second section shifts to San Francisco, describing a physician ("Phelps & Dows") who advertises medical cures based on diet. The satire targets dubious medical practitioners and quack remedies—common subjects of 19th-century satirical magazines. The interaction between Dows and church deacons about fire relief donations adds social commentary on charitable organizations and commercial self-interest.