Title:

Tuberculosis Robs You, Public Health Protects You

Creator:

National Tuberculosis Association

Date:

[ca. 1935]

Description:

This illustration from the 1930s combines two powerful graphic motifs including the personification of disease as a thief and reference to the historical origins of the NTA emblem. The lurching thief, dressed in a tunic and holding a bag of leaking gold coins in his left hand and burning torch in his right hand, cowers before a knight holding a drawn sword and displaying the double-barred cross symbol from the First Crusade on his surcoat. The portrayal of disease as a thief robbing you of your health remains a common metaphor in public health imagery and in this case the noble Christian knight is the symbol of public health as protector. The caption at the bottom of the poster, "Christmas Seals finance the campaign against tuberculosis," is designed to inspire confidence in the value of the viewer's contribution.

Publisher:

National Tuberculosis Association

Original Repository:

The History of Medicine Division. Prints and Photographs Collection

Rights:

Reprinted with permission. Copyright 2003 American Lung Association. For more information on how you can support to fight lung disease, the third leading cause of death in the U.S., please contact the American Lung Association. and http://www.lungusa.org/

Genre:

Posters
Slides (photographs)

Subject:

Tuberculosis and Public Health

Format:

Still Image

Extent:

1 pages

Language:

English

Legacy Source Citation:

Original Repository. History of Medicine Division. Prints and Photographs Collection. 11611. Free Text. This image may also be accessed from the Images from the History of Medicine (IHM).. URL. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/ihm/. IHM Order Number. C00204

Legacy ID:

VCBBBS

NLM ID:

101584655X14

Profiles Collection:

Visual Culture and Health Posters

Shareable Link:

https://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/101584655X14

Story Section:

Infectious Disease