The Radium Girls: Glow in the Dark Poison

Coffee Cat

The Radium Girls: Glow in the Dark Poison

Before we begin, I want to give a quick disclaimer: The following episode contains detailed descriptions of real-life events that may be disturbing to some listeners, including discussions of illness, death, and medical conditions. Listener discretion is advised, especially for younger audiences.

You know how sometimes you wake up with a persistent ache—a toothache, maybe, or a headache that's been bothering you for the third or fourth time that week? You try to go back to sleep, hoping it'll pass, just to wake up, annoyed by the pain, but you still end up ignoring it? I mean, it will eventually go away… it's not like your teeth are actually going to fall out, right? Those vivid nightmares where you snap awake, convinced you've lost all your teeth, they're just dreams.

Well, at least not for everyone…

Her teeth were loose, but she had endured it. Each day, another tooth would wobble, about to fall, and every night, she would grit her teeth against the pain. But now, her jaw didn't just throb; it felt twisted, wrong. A sharp, metallic taste seeped into her mouth; it was thick and warm, with a pungent smell and sweet stench like rusting metal mingled with something rotten.

When Mollie woke up, she felt her pillow damp beneath her cheek, and slowly lifted her head, she saw it: a dark smear of dried blood. The coppery smell hit her full force, making her nauseous. Things got worse when she saw scattered tiny fragments across the pillow that were pieces of her teeth; some were even still clinging to bits of pinkish flesh.

She started panicking, her heart pounding, when she touched her jaw and a sharp pain shot through her head. Her fingers pressed into the flesh, expecting the firmness and structure of the jawbone, but instead, she felt something mushy. It wasn't just swollen; it was as if her jaw had begun to dissolve from the inside out.

A deep sense of dread settled in her stomach; this wasn't just a sickness. It was something far worse, something that was eating away at her, slowly taking pieces of her each day.

Welcome to Coffee Cat, the podcast where we explore real-life events. I'm your host, Nanette Ileana. Tonight, we journey back to the early 20th century to a story that glows, quite literally, with horror.

It's the early 1900s, a time when everything seemed new and exciting. Factories were popping up everywhere, and science was making incredible discoveries. Among these discoveries was radium. Imagine this strange, glowing substance, something straight out of a science fiction novel. But it wasn't just for show. People were finding practical ways to use it, and one of those uses was luminous paint. The idea was simple but genius: paint watch dials and instrument panels with radium, and suddenly, they'd glow in the dark. No more fumbling in the night for a flashlight—your watch face would light up with an eerie, almost magical glow.

Then one day, a sign goes up—a big, bold sign: "The U.S. Radium Corporation is hiring, Dial Painters Needed." The sign promised good pay and was colorful and bold, catching the attention of everyone who walked by. Even teenagers as young as 14 were welcome to apply. In a time when jobs were hard to come by, this seemed like an amazing opportunity.

You know how life just sneaks up on you sometimes? One minute, Mollie and Grace were just hanging out, doing the usual—laughing with friends, dreaming about what the future might hold—and then, out of nowhere, everything changed. They spotted this sign, which promised jobs that sounded almost too good to be true. And I get it—back then, jobs like that didn't just fall into your lap. So, naturally, they jumped at the chance. I can still imagine the excitement on their faces as they practically sprinted to apply. It's that kind of moment when you're all nervous, but underneath, you're thinking, "This could be it. This could really be something."

And wouldn't you know it? They both got hired just like that. I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled they were. It was like they had struck gold. I mean, can you picture it? Two young girls, full of life, thinking they'd just hit the jackpot with this job. Everything was happening so fast, and they were ready for it all.

Their first day was something else. You could feel the energy before you even stepped inside. The room was packed with other girls, all dressed up and looking sharp but with that unmistakable mix of excitement and a little bit of nerves in their eyes. You know that feeling, right? That blend of "I can't wait to start" and "Please don't let me screw this up." Mollie and Grace were right there in the thick of it, ready to take on whatever was coming their way.

Then, they found out exactly what they'd be working on. They would be doing this thing called the "lip, dip, paint" technique. It sounds easy when you say it—shape the brush with your lips, dip it into this glowing paint, and then paint these tiny watch dials. Simple, right? Well, not exactly. The first few tries? Kind of a disaster, if we're being honest. But they were quick learners. Before long, they had it down to a tea, almost like it was a little dance they did every day—lip, dip, paint. Repeat. Over and over until it was second nature.

And the factory itself? It was kind of magical in a strange way. The girls would be chatting, laughing, synchronizing up their movements like they were in some kind of factory ballet. I can still imagine the way they must've bonded over the job, how they started to get better at it together. There was something surreal about it—these young women, painting with this glowing substance, like they were handling something almost magical.

Grace Fryer she was only 16 at the time and was so proud to be earning her own money. But for her, it wasn't just about the paycheck. There was something enchanting about the work itself. The paint actually glowed. It was like they were painting with light. I totally get why she was so fascinated. Every day, the girls would leave the factory with this faint glow on their skin, like they'd been dusted with something out of a fairy tale. People even started calling them the "Ghost Girls." Honestly? I'd be kind of into that nickname too. I mean, who wouldn't want to glow like that?
I can just see Grace's face the first time she sees that glow while she is painting a watch dial. The look in her eyes—it must've been like watching someone see magic for the first time. And Mollie? She was right there with her, just as captivated. The radium paint turned that factory into something otherworldly. It wasn't just a job; it was like they were painting with stardust, transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary.
One morning, Mollie and Grace and their friends Albina and Katherine gathered around their workstations. Mollie was the typical early bird, energetic and excited to start the day. She's already at her station, completely focused, carefully bringing her brush to her lips like she's done it a thousand times before. She's perfected this technique, shaping the brush just right so she can get the finest, most precise point possible. It's almost mesmerizing to watch, really.
Now, Grace is right beside her, probably sneaking glances and wondering how Mollie makes it look so easy. It's like when you see someone effortlessly braid their hair in a way that you've tried a hundred times but never quite nailed. You could tell Grace admired her, though—she wasn't jealous, just a little in awe of how Mollie had mastered something that seemed so simple yet required such careful attention.
Then there's Albina, who's got that kind of confident assurance that comes from picking up bits of information here and there—some of it true, some of it… well, less so. She'd heard that radium, the stuff they were using every single day, was actually good for them. Supposedly, it was making their bones and teeth stronger. And I mean, who wouldn't want to believe that the stuff they're working with is actually doing them a favor?
Katherine, the youngest of the group, sitting at her station with wide eyes, completely captivated by the way the radium glowed. I mean, it wasn't just paint; it was glowing, like something straight out of a fairy tale. For her, it must have felt like they were painting with stardust, and honestly, who wouldn't be a little enchanted by that?
But here's where it gets tricky. Their supervisor, Mr. Reed, the guy who's supposed to know what's what, when he passes by, he's all about reinforcing the technique. "Keep using that lip, dip, paint routine, ladies," as if it's the key to life itself. And why would they question him? I mean, he's their supervisor. If he says the paint is safe, who are they to argue?
It's wild to think about, isn't it? They were so caught up in the magic of it all that they didn't stop to question whether it was too good to be true. In their minds, they were living the dream—getting paid to work with something beautiful, something that made them feel special.
Mollie was the first to notice it. It started as a dull ache in her teeth. It was nothing too alarming at first; it was just that kind of discomfort you get when you've eaten too many sweets. But then it didn't go away. Instead, it settled in, this persistent throb that gnawed at her day and night. She figured it was just stress or maybe from holding her brush too tightly in her mouth, but that wasn't all. She started feeling exhausted, like bone-deep tired, the kind of fatigue that doesn't just go away with a good night's sleep.
Grace wasn't faring much better. She'd been feeling run down, too, and it wasn't just the usual end-of-the-day tiredness. Her bones ached, deep in her body, like they were aging faster than she was. But, like Mollie, she brushed it off, chalking it up to long hours and hard work. It was easy to explain away. After all, they'd been working nonstop, and who wouldn't feel a little worn out?
Mollie tried to laugh it off, telling herself and Grace that they just needed more rest. "It's just the long hours," she'd say, trying to inject some cheer into her voice, like she could convince herself that it was nothing more than a bad day at the office. A good night's sleep—that's what they needed. Grace would nod, though you could see the worry in her eyes. "Yeah, just tired. We'll be fine."
So, they kept going. Day after day, they showed up, pushing through the strange aches and pains, ignoring that creeping sense that something was off. It was easier that way to just keep your head down and get on with it, to trust that everything was okay because it had to be. After all, how could anything go wrong if you're working with something that glows like magic?
Okay, so before we dive back into the story, let's talk a bit about what radium was—or rather, what people thought radium was—back in the day.

It all started in 1898 when Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium, and let me tell you, people were absolutely fascinated by it. This glowing, mysterious element was seen as nothing short of a miracle of modern science. Imagine this: you're living in an era where electricity is just becoming a thing, and suddenly, there's this substance that literally glows in the dark all by itself. It must've felt like magic.

They started using radium in everything. And I mean everything. We're talking toothpaste, cosmetics, food, anything. Radium was marketed as the key to eternal youth and radiant health. People genuinely believed it was the next big thing in wellness.

And it didn't stop there. They were even adding radium to drinking water, claiming it could cure everything from arthritis to, well, let's just say, "men's issues." There were all sorts of radium-infused products out there. One of the most infamous? Radithor. This radium-laced tonic was advertised as an energy booster and a cure for just about anything. People were drinking this stuff like it was some kind of magic potion.

Eben Byers, a well-known industrialist and sportsman, was one of Radithor's most devoted fans. He had an arm injury that just wouldn't heal, so his doctor, Dr. Charles C. Moyar, prescribed him Radithor. Eben started drinking about three bottles of it a day—the equivalent of about 30 cups of water—and genuinely thought it was keeping him healthy and strong.

And the advertisements? Oh, they were everywhere. Companies were plastering glowing endorsements (pun intended) from so-called "satisfied customers" who claimed radium had transformed their health and vitality. It was huge, and people just couldn't get enough of it.
Let's remember this is everything they knew about what radium was about at the time. We'll get back to this later, but for now, let's just return to the story…

On this day, he walked through the factory, doing his usual rounds. He used to be so proud of the luminous paint he invented, but now doubt was creeping in his mind. But today, something felt off. You know that nagging feeling you get when something's wrong, but you can't quite put your finger on it? That was Sabin.

He starts noticing things he hasn't done before. The girls painted the watch dials—they looked… off. Their faces had this eerie glow, which might have seemed cool at first, but up close, it was unsettling. And it wasn't just the glow. They were moving slower; their laughter didn't have the same ring to it, and there was this underlying fatigue in the air. They were trying to push through, but the exhaustion was written all over them.

Sabin was proud of his invention—of course, he was. But now, doubt was creeping in. He couldn't help but notice how tired the girls looked, and it wasn't just the usual end-of-day tiredness. Something wasn't right, and he couldn't shake that feeling.

He approached one of the girls, Grace, who was carefully painting a watch dial. When she looked up and smiled at him, the smile didn't reach her eyes. It was forced, almost like she was putting on a brave face. "Hey, Grace, how are you feeling today?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light but failing to hide his concern. You could tell by her eyes that she felt extremely exhausted, but she still smiled back, "I'm fine, Dr. von Sochocky. I'm just… I'm just a bit tired, that's all."

But Sabin could see it. She wasn't fine. None of them were. As he continued walking around, it became more and more obvious. The girls were sick, and he knew in his gut what was causing it.

Back in his office, Sabin dove into medical journals, desperate for answers. The more he read, the more convinced he became that radium—the very substance that made his paint glow—was behind their illness. It was a hard truth to swallow, but he couldn't longer deny it. The evidence was right there in front of him.

Alright, before we go any deeper into the story, let's take a moment to talk about what radium really does to the body because this stuff—this seemingly harmless, glowing substance—wasn't just a pretty light show. It was a silent killer, and understanding how it wreaks havoc on the human body really puts everything into perspective.

So, radium, when it decays, releases radiation, right? And this is where things get seriously dangerous. If you breathe or accidentally ingest it, you're basically inviting disaster into your body. I'm not talking about a little sniffle or a headache; we're talking about long-term, life-altering damage. You see, prolonged exposure to radium can lead to some pretty nasty health problems—stuff like bone fractures that seem to come out of nowhere, anemia that leaves you feeling constantly drained, and, in the most horrifying cases, necrosis of the jaw. And when I say necrosis, I mean your jaw literally starts to rot away. It's as terrifying as it sounds.

Once radium gets into your body, it doesn't just hang out in your bloodstream and leave you with a bad day. No, it's much sneakier than that. Radium has this really unsettling similarity to calcium, which your body needs to build and maintain strong bones. But because radium is so similar, your body can't tell the difference between the two. It's like opening the door for a tiny, invisible monster, thinking it's something good, and letting it right in. So, instead of depositing calcium into your bones like it should, your body ends up storing radium there instead.

And that's where the real trouble starts. Once radium is in your bones, it begins to emit alpha particles—these tiny bursts of radiation that, on the surface, might not seem all that bad because they can't penetrate too deeply. But those alpha particles are absolutely brutal to any living tissue they come into contact with, especially at close range. So, all that radiation starts bombarding the surrounding bone and bone marrow, and the damage it causes is severe. We're talking about the kind of damage that can't be undone, the kind that just keeps getting worse over time.

One of the first signs that radium has taken its toll is anemia. The radiation messes with your bone marrow, which is where your body produces red blood cells. Without enough of those cells, you start feeling weak, tired, and just… off. You might look pale and feel constantly fatigued, but unfortunately, that's just the tip of the iceberg. The radium also destroys the bones themselves, making them so fragile that they can break under the lightest pressure. Imagine something as simple as tying your shoes or opening a door causing your bones to snap—it's horrifying.

Now, let's go back to the story…

It all began with something as ordinary as a toothache. Just one tooth, nothing to freak out about, right? That's what Mollie probably thought like any of us would. But then, things got weird. I'm talking really weird. That single toothache turned into a nightmare. Her teeth started falling out, not just one or two—one by one, they just started dropping like leaves in the fall. Can you even imagine that horror? And it wasn't like she could just pull the covers over her head and pretend it wasn't happening. Oh no, it got worse. Her gums turned this horrible, dark color, like something out of a horror movie, and her breath—well, let's just say you wouldn't want to be standing too close. It had this putrid, rotting smell, like decay was seeping out from the inside.

Mollie, who was once the heart and soul of that factory—her laughter filling the room, always up for a good chat—was now a shell of herself. She couldn't eat, she couldn't talk, she was just in constant, unbearable pain. The radium, that "magic" substance she had so cheerfully shaped her brushes with, was quietly but ruthlessly destroying her from the inside out.

But here's where things get really twisted. One day, Mollie's sitting in the doctor's office, feeling worse than ever, and she overhears the doctor talking about her case. Now, you'd think he'd be concerned, right? Nope. The doctor's there, casually chatting about how her symptoms look a lot like late-stage syphilis. Can you believe that? This guy was ready to write her off with a diagnosis that carried so much stigma back then without even considering the real cause.

Mollie must've felt a mix of anger and pure humiliation. She knew, deep down, that this wasn't syphilis. How could it be? It was that radium, and she knew it. But the doctor, with his dismissive attitude, wasn't about to admit that. And that was the worst part; they'd seen this coming; they knew about the radium, and yet they were still ready to pin it all on something else, something that would ruin her reputation and save their own skin.

Now, it wasn't just Mollie who was furious. She told her friends, Grace and Albina, and they were livid. They could see what was happening; the company was trying to discredit them, to make it look like their suffering was due to anything but the radium. It was clear to them, but getting anyone to listen? That was a whole different story.

And speaking of different stories, there was another side. Dr. Cecil Drinker, along with his wife, Dr. Katherine Drinker, and their colleague, Dr. Alice Hamilton, were called in to investigate what was going on. Now, Drinker was all about professionalism at first. He dug into the situation weeks ago and quickly realized that these girls were in serious trouble. The radium levels in the factory were off the charts, and the health effects were downright horrifying. His team put together this detailed, confidential report for the company's management. They highlighted everything; how dangerous the conditions were, how badly the girls were suffering, and the urgent need for change.

But the company? They weren't interested in doing the right thing. They took that report and basically shoved it in a drawer. They made just enough changes to say they'd done something, but they kept right on feeding the girls that same line about radium being as safe as candy. They even hired their own so-called "experts" to twist the narrative, to make it look like the girls' illnesses were caused by anything but radium.

But things kept on escalating…

One morning before going to work, Albina tried to get out of bed, and for the first time, her body betrayed her. For Albina, it was as if the strength had been sucked right out of her legs. The moment she tried to stand, they crumbled beneath her, sending her crashing back onto the mattress. She must've felt panic as she tried again, only to be met with the same result; sharp, stabbing pains shot through her limbs, so intense that they left her gasping for air.

The doctors couldn't do much. They were as surprised as she was. Every movement was terrifying; turn the wrong way, and a bone might snap. Sit up too quickly, and something might crack. Her body was in a state of constant decay as if she were slowly crumbling into dust. Her jaw was the worst of it, though. Just the thought of moving it was enough to make her flinch because, underneath her tongue, there was always a pool of blood.

Her once rosy complexion had turned ashen, almost gray, like life was being drained from her skin. She looked in the mirror and saw a stranger, pale and thin, with dark circles under her eyes that were once so full of life. And the fatigue… it was unlike anything she had ever felt.

But Albina wasn't the only one suffering. Katherine Schaub was going through her own private hell. It started as a dull ache in her jaw, nothing she couldn't brush off at first. But the pain didn't go away; it grew sharper and more insistent until it was all she could think about. Her gums, once healthy and pink, began to throb, swelling until they bled at the lightest touch. The blood was a dark, viscous red, a constant reminder that something was horribly wrong. Eating became a torturous ordeal, each bite sending shockwaves of pain through her mouth.

One day, she noticed the tiniest, little sore on her gum, a mini ulcer that didn't seem to heal. Instead, it grew larger, deeper, opening into a tender wound. The pain was more than just intense, it had a burning sensation that throbbed, making it difficult to eat or speak. Her jaw was beginning to decay…

But the nightmare didn't stop there. The sores began to spread, creeping beyond her mouth and across her body. Each ulcer was a raw, painful spot that exuded and burned, leaving her in constant agony. The ulcers themselves became breeding grounds for bacteria, festering and growing more painful by the day. Her skin was now covered in these painful sores, making even the simple act of bathing a painful ordeal.

Grace sat in the meeting room, her fist clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her face was swollen, throbbing with unbearable pain. She knew that talking to Dr. Drinker was crucial; after all, he had seen everything unfold firsthand. Despite their repeated visits to the company's physician, Dr. Drinker, it was like running into a brick wall. Every time, he dismissed their claims, brushing them off with excuses. Blaming their symptoms on things like syphilis or poor hygiene. Can you imagine? It was beyond frustrating. It was like trying to scream for help in a room without windows or doors where no one could hear them.

Sadly, before the trial even started in 1922, Mollie couldn't take the pain any longer and passed away from radium poisoning. It was a loss that showed just how serious the situation was for these women.

Determined to uncover the truth, Grace Fryer and the "Radium Girls" sought legal representation. That is where Raymond Berry enters this fight for justice, he was a young attorney who took on their case despite all the odds. Berry, passionate about workers' rights, was convinced that the company's negligence had caused the women's suffering.

Of course, the company's lawyer came in all confident, like he had everything figured out. He stood there in the courtroom, listing off the women's gruesome symptoms—bone fractures, anemia, necrosis of the jaw—all pretty horrifying symptoms. But then he tried to downplay it, saying, "Well, these symptoms didn't pop up right away, did they? They developed over time, which makes it really hard to prove that radium was the cause." And then he drops the legal bombshell: since it took so long for these symptoms to appear, the statute of limitations had run out. In other words, he claimed the case was too old to even be valid.

That's when things got intense. Raymond Berry wasn't about to let that slide. He stood up, and his voice practically shook the walls. The whole courtroom jumped, and for a split second, you could hear a pin drop. Grace, sitting next to him, looks fatigued. Her face was pale, and you could see the toll this was taking on her. She clutched her wrist, bandaged up, with raw flesh underneath, but despite all of that, she was determined to see this through.

The tension in that room? It was thick, like you could reach out and grab it. The judge, this old guy who'd probably seen more courtroom drama than most of us could imagine, banged his gavel to restore order. He called for a recess, which was probably a good thing because everyone needed a moment to process what had just gone down.

When the trial resumed, the atmosphere was charged. You could feel the weight of what was about to happen. The judge looked like he was mentally preparing himself for the decision he had to make. And then, in a move that changed everything, he ruled that the statute of limitations was dismissed. The trial would go on.

And just when you thought things couldn't get more intense, Dr. Harrison Martland took the stand. He was the county physician who had been digging into radium exposure, and he'd even examined Mollie's remains. What he found was damning: high levels of radium in her bones, which confirmed that radium was the cause of her death. This was the evidence they needed, and it was irrefutable. They even exhumed more bodies, and every single one told the same story—radium was the killer.

Dr. Martland's testimony was like a sledgehammer breaking through the company's flimsy defenses. And Drinker's findings? They just hammered the point home with solid scientific evidence that directly linked the women's suffering to radium exposure.

But, of course, the company wasn't about to give up without a fight. They kept filing delay after delay, hoping that these women, already weakened by their suffering, would pass away before they could see justice. It was a dirty move, plain and simple. But Grace, despite becoming more fragile by the day, kept pushing forward. And the public was watching. Support for the women was growing, and the headlines were blaring about the radium scandal. People were outraged, and rightfully so.
Finally, in 1928, the judge handed down his verdict. It was a victory but a bittersweet one. The fight had taken so much out of these women, and while they had won, it was clear that nothing could ever truly make up for what they'd endured.

The settlement they got came with a lot of strings attached—like regular medical checkups to confirm that, yes, their health was still declining, just so they could keep receiving financial help. It was almost like they had to prove they were still suffering, which is pretty messed up when you think about it.

Now, originally, the Radium Girls demanded $250,000 each in damages. But after all the intense negotiations and the grueling legal process, what they actually received was a lot less. In 1928, after that brutal legal battle, they did win—if you can call it that. The court awarded them $10,000 each in damages and a $600 yearly payment for as long as they lived. The settlement also covered all their medical and legal expenses, but still, it was far from what they deserved.

To put it in perspective, that $10,000 back then would be about $177,000 today. And the $600 annual payment? That's roughly equivalent to $10,600 a year in 2023—around $200 a week. It's not nothing, but it's a far cry from what they were hoping for. It feels almost bittersweet, like they won the battle, but the victory came at a heavy cost. And it makes you wonder, was justice really served, or was it just another compromise in a system that was never really on their side to begin with?

By the time the settlement was finally reached, Grace was only in her mid-20s. Tragically, she passed away in the early 1930s by the effects of radium. Her final moments were marked by excruciating pain, but she left this world knowing her battle had brought about monumental change. It's a bittersweet thought—she didn't get to live a long life, but her courage made a lasting impact.

Dr. Sabin, the inventor of the luminous paint, developed aplastic anemia—a condition where the body can't produce enough blood cells and platelets. Which, as we know, was caused by his prolonged exposure to the very substance he had once proudly created. Dr. von Sochocky passed away in 1928 before the legal battle ended. He spent his final years advocating for the very workers his invention had harmed, which talked a lot about what kind of human he truly was.

Despite everything they endured, the Radium Girls' fight wasn't in vain. Their bravery led to stricter safety regulations, making workplaces safer for everyone and leaving a lasting legacy of justice and change.

Dr. Cecil Drinker, along with his wife Dr. Katherine Drinker and Dr. Alice Hamilton, conducted key research in the 1920s that exposed the dangers of radium exposure. This work played a crucial role in improving workplace safety standards, eventually contributing to the creation of OSHA in 1970.
The Radium Girls' case also led to significant safety changes: protective gear like gloves and masks became mandatory, ventilation systems were installed to prevent toxic fumes, and better hygiene practices and regular health checkups became the norm. While these changes seem obvious now, they were revolutionary at the time, and they all started with the Radium Girls' courageous stand.

Thank you for joining us. If this story resonated with you, share it with others, and be sure to subscribe for more tales that whisper in the dark.

Until we meet again, remember—some mysteries brew deeper than you think.
Bye!

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Versant Physics. (2022, July 29). What the Radium Girls Taught Us About Radiation Safety. Retrieved from https://www.versantphysics.com/2022/07/29/what-the-radium-girls-taught-us-about-radiation-safety/

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