Entente doctors

“Let’s give the Russians a fever remedy — I mean something to raise the fever!”
(Ulk, Berlin, 1918)

Sure agent

Early in 1927 influenza was resurgent in the Danube region. A young Otto von Habsburg, the nominal king of Hungary then in Spanish exile, contracted pneumonia after a bout of the flu, which was still frequently referred to as the “Spanish epidemic” in Hungarian. King Ferdinand of Romania caught the flu as well, unsettling domestic politics. The previous year, Ferdinand has been instrumental in returning General Alexandru Averescu to the premiership as head of the People’s Party. Averescu proceeded to cozy up with Mussolini’s Fascist Italy. Several months after the appearance of this cartoon, Ferdinand would die from what turned out to be cancer, but not before helping unseat Averescu.

Averescu: “It worked with the Hungarian, maybe it will work with the “Spanish” as well.”
(Vágóhid, Kolozsvár-Cluj, 1927)

You might have cholera!

“I’m coming from St. Petersburg Street [in Paris]!…”
“You will not enter: you might have cholera!”
(Le Rire, Paris, 1908)

Ehrlich-Hata 606

“The paralysis will now be curable. This way we nobles will be deprived even of this characteristic mark.”
(Kopřivy, Prague, 1910) (See also this cartoon for the reference to a syphilis cure.)

At least I’m vaccinated!

Max Spring in Nebelspalter (2004).

Smoking hot

“Ah! this cholera, how many precautions must be taken to protect yourself from it: everything you take must be very hot!”
“Oh! with me, nothing to fear… I’m smoking hot!”
(Le Rire, Paris, 1908)

The trailing skirt

Death loves a shining mark.
(Puck, New York, 1900)

No mercy

Public health officers are depicted beating away at rags suspected of bearing contagion. This issue contained extensive coverage of the advance of cholera in Europe and the preparations of New York public health authorities for its possible arrival on American shores.
(The Evening World, New York, 1892)

The flu

Contagious disease exerting its fury on Parisians in 1831.
(La Caricature, Paris, 1831)

The fearless one

“It’s Aunt Frieda, she says that she’s not afraid of influenza, and she’ll visit you today!”
(Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1958)

Born in the year of the flu

“And how did this little cutie get the name Agrippina?”
“Because I was born in the year of the grippe [flu].”
(Buen Humor, Madrid, 1927)

Healthy beliefs

The first health week will take place in Latvia, October 10-17.
A fight broke out between the sick fund [health service] and other doctors. A doctor’s strike is expected.

Bacillus 1: “Isn’t it crazy: even doctors are against us?! Strikes and what do we do then?”
Bacillus 2: “Let’s take care of our health. For that we already have a health week!…”
(Svari, Riga, 1926)

Cholera the mediator

Minister plenipotentiary delegated by the Great Powers to oppose the entry of the Allies in Constantinople.
(Le Rire, Paris, 1912) (See also the Austrian and German entries on this topic.)

What about that gang!

(Newspapers) Organized fight against diseases in Latvia. — The Executive Committee decided to ask President G. Zemgale, Dr. P. Kalniņš, and P. Juraševski to assume the duties of honorary presidents of Health Week.

Disease germs [on the floor being swept away and disinfected]: “Then why us alone! There’s still a whole gang over there!” [corruption at the treasury coffer]

(Svari, Riga, 1928)

The flu

1) Bacillus. “You’re kidding, Doctor, that such a little bacillus breaks down a person.”
2) Fear. “I can’t reach out to you, I’ve got the flu.”
3) Remedy. “Are you drunk again?” “Don’t believe it, woman, I was treating the flu this time.”
(Sädemed, Tartu, 1933)