The Next to Go: Fight Tuberculosis The Next to Go: Fight Tuberculosis

Contributor(s): The History of Medicine Division. Prints and Photographs Collection American Red Cross Publication: American Red Cross, 1919 Language(s): English Format: Still image Subject(s): Tuberculosis Public Health Genre(s): Archival Materials Posters Slides (photographs) Abstract: Dire financial pressures faced by operators of sanatoriums in the United States led to the Christmas Seal campaign, a fundraising effort begun by American Red Cross worker Emily Bissell in 1907. Since that time, Christmas Seals have become the official source of fundraising revenue for the battle against TB. This 1919 poster from the Red Cross promised that tuberculosis would be "The Next to Go." The illustration shows the protector of the family pushing the dreaded visitor out the door. The shrouded image of tuberculosis is comparable to the depiction of disease from the Harper's Weekly 1885 photo print at the beginning of this exhibit. In the earlier image, however, the sword-wielding angel of cleanliness vanquished the disease, whereas here the overall-wearing man of the house pushes TB out of the door like he might do to an unwanted intruder. The nurse, meanwhile, simply looks on while comforting the family. Her uniform bears the emblem of the Christian double-barred cross. A modification of the Cross of Lorraine, commandeered during the First Crusade in 1099, it became the official symbol of the anti-TB "crusade" in 1920.. NOTE: Slide of original poster image is slightly blurry. Copyright: The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information) Extent: 1 pages NLM Unique ID: 101584655X8 (See in Profiles in Science) Profiles in Science ID: VCBBBL Permanent Link: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101584655X8 Archival Collection: Visual Culture and Health Posters (Profiles in Science)