Cut Neglected - Soon Infected
Two-panel Navy safety poster: on the left a cheerful muscular man points to a small cut while a tiny nurse imp perches on his head; on the right, on grey, the same man has a swollen bandaged arm and a frowning face with a red devil imp. The tell is fear-appeal by before-and-after contrast.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Navy, Navy Department Safety Poster (artist Thorndike)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Health, War and the military
- 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. Navy. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-621 (NAID 514099).
Text on the object
Cut neglected- Soon infected Infection cases are increasing- GET FIRST AID AT ONCE! NAVY DEPARTMENT SAFETY POSTER [signature: Thorndike] [imprint: U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944 - O - 619422]
