Content note: Health poster depicting a blind, crutch-using man as the outcome of untreated syphilis. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Both of these men had Syphilis
Two-panel health poster. Top: a smiling man holds a child, with his wife and son nearby, captioned 'He took his Syphilis shots every week until cured'. Bottom: a man with dark glasses, white cane and crutch sits slumped, captioned 'He didn't take his shots'. The contrast of outcomes is a fear-appeal pointing to treatment.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Unnamed issuer (venereal-disease control sheet, artist credit Ferree)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Mixed
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Health, Home front
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Unnamed issuer. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-499 (NAID 513979).
Text on the object
He took his Syphilis shots every week until cured Both of these men had SYPHILIS He didn't take his shots [signature: FERREE] [imprint: VDgraphic—8]
