Immunisation is the Only Safeguard Against Diphtheria - Now is the Time to Have it Done
A red triangle and the heading 'THE DANGER' lead into figures of 60,000 cases and 3,000 deaths a year, then a question-and-answer panel on immunisation and a closing 'Now is the time to have it done'. The opening statistics about children's deaths are the fear appeal; the answers that follow are plain factual instruction.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- His Majesty's Stationery Office (public health poster); printer J. Weiner Ltd., London
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Health, Home front
- Event
- World War II
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- 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 Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (UK Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired before 1996; no URAA restoration)
His Majesty's Stationery Office; printed by J. Weiner Ltd., London, c. 1939-1945. US National Archives (NARA ID 44267187, 44-PF-438).
Text on the object
THE DANGER Every year diphtheria strikes down some 60,000 victims-most of them children under ten. Every year 3,000 of these victims die-most of them babies not five years old. WHAT IS DIPHTHERIA ? It is a highly infectious and dangerous disease, caused by germs that enter the nose and throat from the breath of other children. It has nothing to do with drains or dirt. WHAT IS IMMUNISATION ? Immunisation consists of two, or at most three, injections of a few drops of a specially prepared substance that helps the body to strengthen its natural defences against diphtheria. Good health and a good home are no guarantee against diphtheria germs. IMMUNISATION IS THE ONLY SAFEGUARD AGAINST DIPHTHERIA IS IT THE SAME AS VACCINATION ? No. Vaccination protects against smallpox. Immunisation protects against diphtheria only. WHAT IS THE BEST AGE ? About the first birthday, because the younger the child the greater the risk of death from diphtheria. Another single dose should be given when the child begins school. But it is never too late, and every child between 1 and 15 should be immunised. DOES IT UPSET THE CHILD ? No. The injection is no more than a pinprick and causes no pain. Children go home and play immediately afterwards. In a few cases there may be a slight swelling but no scar will be left, and there is no need to wear a red ribbon. Remember-Immunisation is the only safeguard against diphtheria NOW IS THE TIME TO HAVE IT DONE
