The Story of the Radium Girls

Discovery of Radium

• Discovered: 1898
• Discoverers: Marie Curie and Pierre Curie
• Initial Perception: Seen as miraculous, often referred to as "beautiful radium"

Early Uses and Popularity

• William J. Hammer: Mixed radium with glue and zinc sulfide to create glow-in-the-dark paint
• U.S. Radium Corporation: Purchased Hammer's invention
• Products:
  • Glowing wristwatches
  • Airplane instruments (military use)
• Factory Locations: New Jersey, other parts of the U.S. and Canada
• Hiring: Young women and teenage girls due to their nimble hands; job offered financial freedom and support for war efforts

Health Impacts and Workplace Dangers

• Unawareness: Workers were unaware of the dangers of radium
• Working Technique: Lip dip or lip pointing; ingesting radium
• Early Symptoms: Known as ghost girls — glowing bodies; hair, skin, and clothing illuminated

Effects on Health

• Marie Curie and Others: Early awareness of radium's harmful effects
• Factory Workers:
  • Male workers had protective gear; female workers did not
  • Researchers ignored harmful effects
• Symptoms and Illnesses:
  • Physical deformities (e.g., bone decay, cancerous tumors)
  • Internal damage, such as bone honeycombing

Tragic Outcomes and Initial Legal Battles

• Amelia Mollie Maggia
  • First known severe case; extensive jaw and mouth damage leading to death
  • Death inaccurately recorded as syphilis
• Other Affected Women: Over 50 deaths by 1927; similar symptoms — bone fractures, spines collapsing, severe pain
• Company Denial: U.S. Radium Corp denied connection to illnesses, attempted to cover up and discredit findings
• Dr. Harrison Martland: Confirmed radium poisoning as the cause; faced corporate denial and denial of study's findings

Legal Action and Aftermath

New Jersey Case

• Key Figures and Efforts:
  • Grace Fryer: Significant force in legal battle despite personal suffering; faced difficulty finding legal representation
  • Raymond Berry: Took on the case, leading a group of five women in legal action
• Outcome: Settlement in 1928; small compensation; raised public awareness

Illinois Case

• Similar Issues:
  • Firm deny responsibilities
  • Workers face horrors such as bone tumors and other deformities
• Notable Individuals: Catherine Wolfe Donohue; severe symptoms leading to death bed testimony
• Legal Representation: Leonard Grossman (pro bono)
• Outcome: Final appeal denied by U.S. Supreme Court; upheld workers' rights

Legacy and Impact

Legislative Changes

• End of Radium Watch Production: 1968
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): Established to enforce workplace safety
• Reduction in Workplace Deaths: From 14,000 annually to 4,500

Cultural and Historical Significance

• Mae Keane: One of the last living radium girls, avoided severe harm
• Broader Message: Illustrates the consequences of valuing profit over human life; raised labor standards for future generations