The Wasp — 1879 — page 696: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising content** rather than satirical cartoons. It features commercial advertisements for San Francisco businesses from what appears to be the 1870s-1880s era, including billiard tables, mattresses, pianos, sewing machines, and gloves. The only illustration with potential satirical content is a small figure labeled "Wonderful Discovery" promoting nerve/muscle treatment by the Eureka Manufacturing Company. This appears to be a mock advertisement mocking patent medicine claims—a common satire target in 19th-century publications. The remainder consists of legitimate business ads, including one for "Oregon Kidney Tea," reflecting period health product marketing rather than political satire. This was typical for satirical magazines, which relied on advertising revenue to offset publishing costs.