Gonorrhea: A Film in For Physicians in Technicolor (USPHS, 1943)

Diagnosis of gonorrhea should be done by clinical and laboratory investigation. The physician and patients are shown in the physician's office and examining room. The patients remove their clothing, and the physician takes samples from the end of the penis and makes thin smear slides from them. The techniques for stripping gonococci from male and female patients with chronic gonorrhea are shown in drawings and live footage. The physician is shown getting and preparing a urine sample for laboratory testing for the presence of gonococci, including using a hand-cranked centrifuge.

Fluoridation (USPHS, 1952)

This film describes fluoridation research, the benefits of adding fluoride to community water supplies, and various types of fluoride and methods of adding it. Grand Rapids, Michigan is presented as the earliest test case of public water fluoridation, and decreases in the incidence of tooth decay in that city are illustrated with bar charts and statistics. Learn more about this film and search its transcript at NLM Digital Collections: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/8600895A.

T.B. Nurse Wallace (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, [1952])

This film is a dramatization of the arrival and settling-in of a newly-minted nurse at a tuberculosis sanitarium. At first she is unsure of her skills, and worried that she will contract the disease from her patients. She freezes during an emergency situation, but sees how the experienced nurses handle it, and as she becomes more experienced and confident herself, her perspective changes and her abilities are sharpened. She challenges one depressed patient to fight for his health, and the gambit works.

Challenge for Habilitation: The Child with Congenital Rubella Syndrome (Texas Children's Hosp, 1977)

This film documents the rubella study group and nursery in the child development clinic at Texas Children's Hospital. The study group worked to rehabilitate 150 children with congenital rubella syndrome, a maternal viral infection that can cause hearing impairment, visual impairment, or motor handicaps. During the 1964-1965 epidemic, an estimated 20,000-30,000 children were born with congenital rubella syndrome.

Save a Day (USPHS, 1941)

This film shows some industrial health hazards, along with research and solutions regarding each. Produced by United States Public Health Service Learn more about this film and search its transcript at NLM Digital Collections: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/8700217A Learn more about the National Library of Medicine's historical audiovisuals program at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/collections/films

Far View Health Camp [Silent] (Producer unknown, 1936)

This film shows children at the Far View Health Camp in Cortland County, N.Y. It provides an overview of who can attend and why the camp should be supported. The film begins when the campers arrive at the start of camp and then takes the viewer through a typical day. It includes footage of children at meals, sleeping, at flag-raising, cleaning, playing, at story hour and doing arts and crafts. African American children are shown in this film. Publisher unknown.

The Public Health Nurse and the Retarded Child (Oklahoma State Dept. of Health, 1960)

This film discusses the role of the public health nurse in relation to the retarded child and his family. This objective is achieved with the aid of clinical subjects, personnel from a clinic for retarded individuals, and public health nurses. Miss Roberts, a public health nurse, becomes aware of a retarded child, Mark, during a routine home visit for an eye check on Mark's older brother. Mark's mother describes him as "slow," and the program discusses simple methods to use in assessing a child's abilities at an early age.

V.D.? See Your Doctor (Canada Dept. of National Health and Welfare, 1968)

Over footage of young people in school, in social situations, in a physician's office, and in a public health department office, the symptoms, mode of transmission, and dangers of gonorrhea and syphilis are presented. The necessity of contacting sexual partners is stressed, and the emotional distress this can cause is illustrated. The folly of ignoring symptoms and of using patent medicines is explained. The viewer is urged to eschew promiscuous sexual activity.

Dance, Little Children (Kansas State Board of Health, 1965)

Chronicles an outbreak of syphilis among teens in the fictional town of Oakdale. A girl, Lynn, has a few dates with a wealthy boy, Hal, then goes to see her family doctor when she develops a rash. Though the doctor considers syphilis, he doesn't test Lynn initially, thinking it can't be true. The role of the state and local public health departments in tracking down contacts of infected people and testing them is shown. The primary state health investigator is shown confidentially interviewing the teens.

Examination of the Mouth (CDC, 1967)

This film stresses the importance of routine oral examination to detect infections or early diagnosis of oral cancer. Dr. Robert Johnson demonstrates a routine oral exam while explaining the procedure. The film also shows oral cancers in their early stages of development. The film concludes with an appeal by the Chief of the U.S. Public Health Service's Cancer Control Program, Dr. William L. Ross. He urges dentists to examine and test for oral cancer, arguing that the patient's overall health, not just their teeth, is the dental practioner's responsibility.

The Price of Survival (USPHS, 1957)

This film covers emergency plans necessary to cope with disaster situations. These animated public service announcements feature "four dangerous characters"-- ill-intentioned green figures representing four infectious diseases: diptheria, polio, lockjaw, and whooping cough. They search for susceptible individuals to infect, but are thwarted by the protection afforded their intended victims by immunization. Emmy Immunity is a pigtailed little girl who, at the end of each segment, emphasizes the importance of vaccinations.

Practical Rat Control: Rat Killing (US Army, 1950)

This film details several methods of killing domestic rats, including various types of poison mixed into foods rats like, cleaning and repairing premises to discourage rat habitation, metal traps, and the elimination of rat harborages. Learn more about this film and search its transcript at NLM Digital Collections: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9423674.

Lease on Life (USPHS, 1945)

The story of an average American family and how its members plan and act to avoid unnecessary illness through regular check-ups, including X-rays for tuberculosis, at school, work, and by private appointment. The importance of preventative health measures regardless of one's age is emphasized, as is the role that employers can play in helping to protect their workers. Produced by the United States Public Health Service.

Target, Tooth Decay (Oklahoma Dept. of Public Health, 1951)

Through the use of a compact series of explanatory examples, this film points out the value of modern dental care with emphasis on the use of fluorides, focusing especially on school-age children and how dental care and education can be delivered in that environment The film describes how a rural community organizes a topical fluoride program and how an urban community institutes fluoridation of the public water supply. Learn more about this film and search its transcript at NLM Digital Collections: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9605135.

Yellow Fever in the Sudan [Silent] (Telford Work, 1954)

Telford Work made this film during an expedition to the Nuba Mountains in southern Sudan in search of evidence of yellow fever, and to evaluate the possible spread of yellow fever northward. The film shows laboratory equipment being loaded onto a Jeep along with Dr. Mansour, a Sudanese veterinarian and microbiologist in charge of the eradication of the tsetse fly, and Dr. Richard Moreland Taylor, Dr. Work's colleague on the expedition. The film documents the trip.