Constructing representations of germs in the twentieth century

The development of germ theories of disease was reliant on the exchange of representations and descriptions of microorganisms. Visual properties were critical in establishing a shared understanding of agents of disease and their causal role. However, historians have yet to explore in detail the representation of microorganisms aimed at audiences beyond specialists. The public visual culture of germs offers a new window through which to understand health campaigns, their motivations, and intended audiences. We argue that still and moving images of germs made visible social anxieties surrounding health, race, class, and national security in ways not yet recognised.