The Wasp — 1879 — page 841: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents two satirical cartoons commenting on medical/social conditions. **"A Sickly Lot"** (top) depicts a hospital ward where patients in beds are labeled "ENTERPRISE" and "STORAGE." They appear afflicted with various maladies, attended by demonic or grotesque figures representing disease or medical incompetence. The caricatured caregivers suggest satire of either inadequate medical treatment or corrupt medical practices. **"Carrion"** (bottom) shows winged demons or vultures feeding on a prone human corpse, likely symbolizing death, disease, or exploitation of the vulnerable. Without additional context about *The Wasp's* publication date and specific events, the exact targets remain unclear—possibly critiquing hospitals, medical fraud, epidemic conditions, or industrial workplace safety. The imagery consistently suggests disease, death, and predatory forces preying on the afflicted.