Make our men as fit as our machines: regular physical check-ups with blood tests
Large stylised blue male torso with the circulatory system drawn in white lines and labelled, two small figures in white with a stethoscope and a syringe standing on it. The headline likens the soldier's body to a machine in need of upkeep, carrying the idea of machine maintenance over to health checks (transfer), above a banner urging regular check-ups with blood tests.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- United States Public Health Service, artist Karsakov
- 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, War and the military, 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)
United States Public Health Service, artist Karsakov. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1320 (NAID 514958).
Text on the object
make our men as fit as our machines regular physical check-ups... with blood tests [signature:] KARSAKOV UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE V.D.14 (anatomical labels in the diagram:) INTERNAL JUGULAR; RIGHT INNOMINATE VEIN; LEFT INNOMINATE VEIN; SUPERIOR VENA CAVA; ARCH OF AORTA; DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS; RIGHT PULMONARY ARTERY; INFERIOR VENA CAVA; BRACHIAL ARTERY; CEPHALIC; [illegible partial label]
Anatomical labels are small white lettering on the torso; two are partly hidden behind the figures.
