Monday, February 23, 2015

Syphilis Ad - Stasis Theory

        The fundamental argument, as well as the Action stasis, that this poster presented in its time was that an end to the deadly disease Syphilis had finally come in the form of penicillin. The U.S. government was committed to creating a widespread terror of Syphilis in hopes that most people would get vaccinated and be able to prevent the infection, that killed 20,000 in its peak year of 1939, from spreading.
Here is another example of propaganda used to scare
the public into getting vaccinated against Syphilis.
        However, the poster to the left in particular communicates a deeper message than just disease safety. The image of dinosaurs paired with the phrase, "as old as creation," implies that this freedom from Syphilis is the beginning of a new era. Unlike the popular belief that the availability of contraception helped spark the sexual revolution, this poster shows that the sexual revolution arose from the prevention of a hugely common sexually transmitted disease. Ever since the fear of Syphilis decreased, the fear of sex outside of marriage became less of a threat as well, and risky behavior began.
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4 comments:

  1. UnknownFebruary 23, 2015 at 5:24 PM

    I think the use of an image of a dinosaur shows that fear of syphilis is a thing of the past. The picture combined with the wording seems to mock that idea that syphilis is dangerous. And yet the seriousness of the issue it still made known by the insistence that the reader "consult [their] physician."

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  2. UnknownFebruary 23, 2015 at 8:27 PM

    I agree with Michelle; that poster makes one think that syphilis is not something to be worried about anymore IF the reader heeds the poster's advice and consults their physician.

    In terms of Stasis Theory, I believe the first poster does a good job of illustrating the facts of the matter, as well as a plan of action. The seriousness is displayed by stating that those with syphilis are "doomed" unless they heed the posters advice within 3 years.

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  3. UnknownFebruary 24, 2015 at 7:53 PM

    I think it is a bit of a stretch to say that the second poster shows that the sexual revolution was a direct consequence of the syphilis cure and it did not result from availability of contraception. I think both of these things were factors, among others, that brought about the sexual revolution together.

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  4. UnknownFebruary 24, 2015 at 7:59 PM

    I find it quite interesting and tragic that 20,000 people died in 1939 from a disease that already had a vaccination. It just goes to show that the spread of information is nothing like it is today. I also find it clever that they use a dinosaur to show how old the thought of the disease was at the time.

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