An hour with Venus may mean three years with mercury Accession Number: ARTV07545

Description

First World War venereal disease prevention poster designed to be displayed in soldiers' camps. This is a text-based poster, with no images. The text alternates between red and black ink. After the title, the remaining text (printed in red ink) gives an unequivocal instruction: 'Keep away from whores'. The posters produced by the Social Hygiene Division were a breakthrough in preventive medicine - previous to the war, venereal diseases were rarely discussed, and there were limited medical resources in the United States for the treatment of those suffering from them. At the beginning of the twentieth century venereal disease was a prevalent concern for social health organizations. The social stigma attached to these diseases prevented most people from discussing or addressing means of treatment. In 1913, at a conference in New York, several organizations dedicated to fighting prostitution and venereal disease joined together to form the American Social Hygiene Association (ASHA). The association was established to stop the venereal disease epidemic by educating the public about sexually transmitted infections, working to break down the social stigma attached to VD, and encouraging high moral standards. ASHA's early worked focused on education and awareness efforts within the armed forces. ASHA worked with the US War Department during the First World War when VD occurrences surged among soldiers. Their efforts included educating soldiers about venereal diseases and their transmission and attempting to eliminate prostitution, which was believed to be the primary vehicle for VD transmission among the armed forces. Due to its contribution to the war effort, ASHA gained national attention and succeeded in creating public awareness of VD.

Details

Conflicts

• First World War, 1914-1918

Places

• United States of America

Units

• United States Army

Tags

• Venereal disease
• Prostitution