The Wasp — 1892 — page 191: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This seven-panel satirical comic depicts the misadventures of a working-class San Francisco man during what appears to be a public health or moral crisis. The figure—characterized by his distinctive plaid pants—encounters various closed institutions: a crematorium, political headquarters, a Hallelujah meeting, polling place, bank, and amusement park, all shuttered "by order of the police" or due to epidemic concerns. The satire critiques how public health restrictions disproportionately burden ordinary citizens while institutions remain inaccessible. The final panel shows him fleeing to Oakland, suggesting San Francisco has become uninhabitable for the working poor. The caption notes "public virtue makes his life a burden," implying that civic measures, however well-intentioned, create hardship for vulnerable populations.