Build out rats
Public-health poster: a large rat in white line on black leaps over six panels of rat-proofing steps (screen ventilators, cover floor holes, install metal flashing, seal openings, lay concrete floors, ask your health department). The oversized rat is a mild fear-appeal; most of the sheet is practical instruction, so the technique is faint here.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Public Health Service, Federal Security Agency
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- 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)
U.S. Public Health Service, Federal Security Agency. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-507 (NAID 513987).
Text on the object
build out Rats Screen Ventilators Cover Floor Holes Install Metal Flashing Seal Openings Lay Concrete Floors COMBAT THE RAT ASK YOUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR ADVICE [imprint: Federal Security Agency] [imprint: U. S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE] [imprint: CHP 3] [imprint: FOR SALE BY SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, WASHINGTON, D. C.] [imprint: 16--37608-1 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE]
