1889 Poster for Health Literacy Month
Health Literacy Month is celebrated around the world in October, as a way to promote the importance of understandable health information. As healthliteracymonth.org notes, it was first observed in 1991 and since then health care organizations, community services, health literacy coalitions, government agencies, literacy programs, universities, and many others have hosted a wide range of Health Literacy Month events.
This 1899 poster from the Patent and Copyright Office is a good example of how NOT to convey health information. Designed to illustrate twenty-four exercises using Indian Clubs, the poster may look great, but the diagrams are confusing - let alone the text. "In crossing hands above and below the belt with the Clubs, the Left-Hand, in Nos. 13, 14, 15, 16, and 19, is in front of the Right, whilst in No. 20 the Right is in front" explains the poster. If you manage to understand the poster, then you will "expand the chest, and stretch the abdominal muscles, so counteracting the tendency of sedentary life."
Archives Reference: PC4 Box 4/ 1889/38
More on the importance of health literacy can be found at www.healthliteracymonth.org/
For updates on our On This Day series and news from Archives New Zealand, follow us on Twitter twitter.com/ArchivesNZ
Material from Archives New Zealand
1889 Poster for Health Literacy Month
Health Literacy Month is celebrated around the world in October, as a way to promote the importance of understandable health information. As healthliteracymonth.org notes, it was first observed in 1991 and since then health care organizations, community services, health literacy coalitions, government agencies, literacy programs, universities, and many others have hosted a wide range of Health Literacy Month events.
This 1899 poster from the Patent and Copyright Office is a good example of how NOT to convey health information. Designed to illustrate twenty-four exercises using Indian Clubs, the poster may look great, but the diagrams are confusing - let alone the text. "In crossing hands above and below the belt with the Clubs, the Left-Hand, in Nos. 13, 14, 15, 16, and 19, is in front of the Right, whilst in No. 20 the Right is in front" explains the poster. If you manage to understand the poster, then you will "expand the chest, and stretch the abdominal muscles, so counteracting the tendency of sedentary life."
Archives Reference: PC4 Box 4/ 1889/38
More on the importance of health literacy can be found at www.healthliteracymonth.org/
For updates on our On This Day series and news from Archives New Zealand, follow us on Twitter twitter.com/ArchivesNZ
Material from Archives New Zealand