Tuberculosis: a man offering a book of tuberculosis stamps in exchange for a 50 Lire note; advertising charity stamps in aid of tuberculosis patients. Colour lithograph by Pubblicitarte, 1950.

The book of tuberculosis stamps bears in red the cross with two crossbars, which had been since 1902 the symbol of the battle against tuberculosis: it was adopted on 23 October 1902 at a Berlin conference on the suggestion of Gilbert Sersiron. It had been the device on the standard of Godfrey of Bouillon, who had placed it on the tower of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in 1099. Its adoption indicated that the fight against tuberculosis was analogous to a crusade seen from the Christian point of view. Though similar in form, it had no significant connnection with the cross of Lorraine. Information from Thierry Devinck, André Wilquin: publicités, Paris: Agence Culturelle de Paris, Mairie de Paris, 1991, p. 68