<p>Illustration of the seal of the U.S. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Health,_Education_and_Welfare" class="extiw" title="w:Department of Health, Education and Welfare">Department of Health</a> (which existed from 1953 to 1979), from <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Executive_Order_10510" class="extiw" title="s:Executive Order 10510">s:Executive Order 10510</a> (which defined the seal).  The design is described there as:
</p>
<blockquote><div>SHIELD: Argent an open book with sanguine binding charged overall with a staff of Aesculapius paleways within an annulet of chain all proper.
<p>CREST: On a wreath argent and sanguine an American bald eagle displayed and wings partially inverted proper.
</p>
Below the shield a white scroll inscribed with the motto "SPES ANCHORA VITAE" in black letters, all on a ciruclar sanguine background within a white band, inner edge sanguine, and inscribed "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE U. S. A."</div></blockquote>
The motto means <i>Hope is the anchor of life</i>.
U.S. Government
1953-12-17
Scanned from Title 3 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 1949-1953 Comp., p. 991 or so (lost the actual page).