Prevent Disease: Careless Spitting, Coughing, Sneezing, Spread Influenza and Tuberculosis Prevent Disease: Careless Spitting, Coughing, Sneezing, Spread Influenza and Tuberculosis

Contributor(s): Rensselaer County Tuberculosis Association The History of Medicine Division. Prints and Photographs Collection Publication: Rensselaer County Tuberculosis Association, [ca. 1925] Language(s): English Format: Still image Subject(s): Tuberculosis Public Health Genre(s): Archival Materials Posters Slides (photographs) Abstract: The National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis was formed in 1904 to unify and expand the country's regional anti-tuberculosis programs. Inspired by the identification of the tuberculosis bacteria in sputum, its mission included an aggressive campaign against public spitting. The amazing discovery that bacteria could survive in spit for an entire day even convinced many women to stop wearing their long, trailing dresses into town for fear they might pick up sputum and drag it into their homes. This poster from the Rensselaer County Tuberculosis Association in Troy, NY expresses faith in the ability to prevent disease by educating the public about transmission. Countering the stigma associating disease with poverty or filth, this illustration features a finely dressed, well-groomed young man demonstrating the proper alternative to "careless spitting, coughing, and sneezing.". NOTE: Slide of original poster image is slightly blurry. Copyright: This item may be under copyright protection; contact the copyright owner for permission before re-use. Extent: 1 pages NLM Unique ID: 101584655X5 (See in Profiles in Science) Profiles in Science ID: VCBBBH Permanent Link: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101584655X5 Archival Collection: Visual Culture and Health Posters (Profiles in Science)