This image accompanies some verses on recent travails in this Italian port city, and I take it to depict (inaccurately) the cholera vibrio that had wracked the country in recent years.
(Pss… pss…, Bari, 1911)

If France has been plagued by cholera for more than a month in some of its provinces, Italy has been totally so since the coming to power of this terrible Ministry.
(Lo Spirito folletto, 1884)

The Main Puppet Theater. Accompanying text describes the image as follows: “In the almost natural reproduction above, an attempt is made to make a theatrical representation of the current immortal era. And this illustration was necessary given the decline of the puppet masters, at other times intelligent artists and dear to the people.” I cannot do justice to the municipal politics being satirized here, but the text indicates that they want to show how people dealt with the cholera.
The sign refers to the “Heroic defense of Bari” in autumn 1910, featuring an “Extremely hilarious farce lasting many months,” with “Terrific prices!” What drew my eye was of course the clystères employed by the officials disinfecting the streets, a device oft encountered among our images.
(Pss… Pss…, Bari, 1910)

(One of four panels.)
After five minutes of torture, the diner is defeated!… curiosity wins out… (he looks.)
“What is this?”
“Saltwater greens from the ponds of La Spezia…”
“What’s it for?”
“To kill the worms…”
“Ooph! Protection from cholera?”
(Lo Spirito folletto, Milan, 1873)

Professor: “Observe, gentlemen, the magnificent result of my new treatment of cholera.”
Students: “But he is dead!”
Professor: “He would be many times more dead if he had been treated with the old systems!…”
(Lo Spirito folletto, Milan, 1884)

From Lo Spirito folletto, Milan, 1873:

3. to review and throw in the channel all the adulterated wines of the few, but dishonest brewers…

…for whom it would be good in this heat to chastise them by imposing the transport of the monolith of San Ambrogio to Piazza del Duomo and back again.

4. A commission will be appointed to oversee and prevent the sale of fruit. The varieties will be treated with the greatest concern.

The Ciocchin, undertaker of all the horses of the Milanese citizenry, must have the utmost respect for the dead beasts in his care!!

From Lo Spirito folletto, Milan, 1873:

Lo Spirito Folletto, in an extraordinary session of its enlightened editorial staff, made the following provisions:

Since cholera, in spite of the stubbornness of that genius… of man that is [Italian Prime Minister] Lanza, is very contagious, and that instead of getting there from Petrea Arabia, it comes from the bad quality of the food, the staff recommends… 1. to oversee the not-at-all civil baptisms of milk and wine…

2. to supervise the fish market, whose sweet miasmas attract citizens to the delights in the square of San Stefano.

From Lo Spirito folletto, Milan, 1873:

After bathing, it is a good idea to have a layer of lime applied to the skin, which will firm it and will not prevent bruising.

A good tip not to be overlooked. At night, in the moonlight, it will be good to spend a few hours on the uppermost parts of your home.

So that we will not have cholera in Milan: we will have only a few cases of cholero-vino-morbo, but this variety has nothing to do with what worries you.

In all cases, readers, rest assured… if cholera comes, Lo Spirito Folletto [The Spritely Spirit] has taken all his measures. He will first publish his caricature.

From Lo Spirito folletto, Milan, 1873:

Polenta vendors will be prohibited from seasoning food with candle wax:…

…all the culprits caught in flagrant contravention will be condemned to do what they have never done: to swallow all the polenta thus seasoned.

Any poultryman who has put up dead game for sale for fifteen days will be exposed to breathe the pleasant scent of the sun for eight days.

We will also take a look at the bakers who, in addition to the candle which they allow to drip into the pasta, make us eat products unrelated to its manufacture on bread.

Healthy hygiene. Every evening, before going to bed, you will do well to disinfect the sheets with chlorine. A half liter is enough for this.

Multiple panels from Lo Spirito folletto, Milan, 1883:

All the press is reproaching England for importing cholera from the Indies… but John Bull does not care…

… and leaves the other powers to take care of drawing sanitary cordons…

… and instituting quarantines…

… and making the municipal inspectors sweat, etc., etc….

… but the only weapons against this terrible scourge are the ones presented here.

A multi-panel cartoon from Cosmorama pittorico, Milan, 1865:

Under the pretext of cholera certain impresarios continue to sneak out of town more than ever….

Answer to the question proposed by Spirito Folletto. The veil on the hat serves to hide the person anointed by cholera and… the occasional shame of disgusting encounters.

The true fever-reducing, anti-intestinal cholera treatment is the incomparable Fernet-Branca [an Italian bitter marketed as a cure for cholera].

Ugh! I almost prefer cholera!

Since these horrible medicines are administered in the cafes of Milan, you have to go to the pharmacies to get refreshments and ice cream!

Trust me, sir, this mixture of sulfite of soda and arsenic acid is a sovereign defense!

And why not strychnine, foxglove, and prussic acid?

Or rather the pastries, melons and all the unripe fruit that is tolerated for Milan?