while researching a post on another subject altogether i got sucked down an internet sinkhole. that sinkhole was the u.s. national library of medicine’s history of medicine database. specifically their archive of 4473 medical, warning, and public service posters from around the world. i never did gather the info i’d set out to, nor did i make it past the first thousand images in the archive, but it’s o.k. it was worth it. see below for a sampling.

as stated, this is really just the tiniest tip of the iceberg. weather for design inspiration, historical curiosity, nostalgia, self loathing, or fresh fuel for your kitchy blogging, enjoy.