The Wasp — 1879 — page 19: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising and announcements** rather than political satire. The masthead shows *The Illustrated Wasp*, a San Francisco publication. The notable cartoon depicts a figure labeled "magnetism" or a healer performing supposed miraculous cures. The accompanying testimonials mock medical quackery—a common satirical target of the era. These "cures" claim to treat everything from paralysis to chronic diseases, attributing results to magnetic healing rather than legitimate medicine. The satire critiques fraudulent medical practitioners who exploited vulnerable patients with pseudoscientific claims. This reflects late 19th-century concerns about unregulated medical practice. The rest of the page contains local San Francisco business advertisements and theatrical notices, typical of period newspapers.