169 Unknown Artist - Old Drawing - Caricature Plot - 18th-19th Century

This original 18-19-century cartoon drawing depicts a hospital scene rendered in ink and watercolor, featuring exaggerated caricatures in a sparse clinical setting. A towering, grinning orderly offers an oversized syringe to a startled patient in bed, asking, “You want a starter, sir?”, while a nurse looks on from the doorway. The humor hinges on a dark, absurd juxtaposition between hospital treatment and restaurant service, with stylistic cues characteristic of British satirical illustration. Bold outlines, flat coloring, and expressive faces add to the comic effect, while the back of the sheet shows signs of archival use and possible publication history.