The Radium Girls: A Tragic Tale of Courage and Determination

06/19/23 • 57 min

The Compendium: An Assembly of Fascinating Things

In 1917, the United States Radium Corporation decided to hire young women as watch dial painters by using radium paint to make their products glow in the dark. At the time, radium was a highly sought-after element, considered to be beneficial to health and fashionable in various products. However, the deadly effects of radium exposure were not yet widely known.

So, what were the consequences of working with radium paint? Who were the key participants, later known as the Radium Girls? And what interesting facts or figures are associated with this tragic and inspiring story?

We give you The Compendium, but if you want more, here's a list of additional resources to explore:

"The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women" by Kate Moore
"Radium Girls: Women and Industrial Health Reform, 1910-1935" by Claudia Clark
"Radium Girls" (2018) - Directed by Lydia Dean Pilcher and Ginny Mohler

Host & Show Info

Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
About: Kyle and Adam are more than just your hosts, they’re your close friends sharing intriguing stories from tales from the darker corners of true crime, the annals of your forgotten history books, and the who's who of incredible people.
Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin

Community & Calls to Action

⭐ Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📸 Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
🌐 Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
❤️ Early access episodes: Patreon

📤 Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway.

We give you The Compendium, but if you want more, here's a list of additional resources to explore:

"The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women" by Kate Moore
"Radium Girls: Women and Industrial Health Reform, 1910-1935" by Claudia Clark
"Radium Girls" (2018) - Directed by Lydia Dean Pilcher and Ginny Mohler

Host & Show Info

Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
About: Kyle and Adam are more than just your hosts, they’re your close friends sharing intriguing stories from tales from the darker corners of true crime, the annals of your forgotten history books, and the who's who of incredible people.
Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin

Community & Calls to Action

⭐ Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📸 Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
🌐 Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
❤️ Early access episodes: Patreon

📤 Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway.

Previous Episode

The Chippendales: A Story of Fame, Money and Murder

This week, we delve into the fascinating and scandalous true-crime story of Somen Banerjee, a shy but ambitious man from India who made a name for himself in America by opening a club that would become the home of the infamous Chippendales. While you may be familiar with The Chippendales, what you might not know is the wild events that occurred behind the scenes.
Initially a story of the American Dream, Somen's rise to riches is quickly tainted by greed and fame, leading to a deadly combination of jealousy, betrayal and revenge.
So buckle up and get ready to learn about the lengths and crimes one man is willing to commit in order for him to succeed...
Welcome To Your Fantasy Podcast
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Host & Show Info

Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
About: Kyle and Adam are more than just your hosts, they’re your close friends sharing intriguing stories from tales from the darker corners of true crime, the annals of your forgotten history books, and the who's who of incredible people.
Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin

Community & Calls to Action

⭐ Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📸 Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
🌐 Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
❤️ Early access episodes: Patreon

📤 Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway.

Next Episode

The Jennifer Pan Story: A Deadly Betrayal

In this episode of the Compendium, I tell Adam all about Jennifer Pan, a young woman from Markham, Ontario, whose chilling tale of deception and betrayal sent shockwaves across the globe. In 2010, she meticulously planned a heinous crime that ended in the murder of her own parents, orchestrated by hitmen she herself had hired.

Our exploration, "The Jennifer Pan Story: A Deadly Betrayal," unravels the intricate web of deceit that Jennifer spun, revealing her dangerous ambition and the tragic outcome of her actions. We delve into the horrifying details of this infamous crime, scrutinizing the events that led Jennifer from a seemingly ordinary existence to masterminding a deadly plot.

Ceck out this facinating accompanyment to our episode Jennifers police interviews JCS - Criminal Pychology

Join Adam and me as we dissect this fascinating case.

Host & Show Info

Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
About: Kyle and Adam are more than just your hosts, they’re your close friends sharing intriguing stories from tales from the darker corners of true crime, the annals of your forgotten history books, and the who's who of incredible people.
Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin

Community & Calls to Action

⭐ Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📸 Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
🌐 Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
❤️ Early access episodes: Patreon

📤 Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway.

The Compendium: An Assembly of Fascinating Things - The Radium Girls: A Tragic Tale of Courage and Determination

Transcript

[00:00:00] Adam Cox: So Grace gets the tests and Dr. Martin scans her body with the electrometer and she blows into the test tubes to measure the amount of radiation in her lungs and when their results come back, they are told that they have radiation poisoning and point blank they are going to die.

[00:00:18] Kyle Risi: Welcome to the Compendium, an assembly of glowing tales from history where we uncover the bright and dark sides of scientific and socia