The Wasp — 1879 — page 557: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily a **masthead and subscription information** for *The Illustrated Wasp*, a San Francisco satirical weekly published at 602 California Street. The main article, titled "ROME AND HER RATS AT THE POINT OF BATTLE," discusses **urban public health crises**—specifically plague, disease, and pest infestations affecting major cities including San Francisco, Rome, Paris, Constantinople, and others. The piece uses rat infestations as a metaphor for social decay and mismanagement in these cities. The remaining content consists of **subscription rates** (ranging from 10 cents to $5.00 depending on location and duration) and a dialogue-format feature addressing various social complaints. No clear political cartoons are visible on this particular page.