Thank you to talented author and poet, Elizabeth Gauffreau for hosting me with a post about the Radium Girls. Elizabeth writes thought provoking literary fiction and beautiful poetry. You can find out more about her books on her blog here: https://lizgauffreau.com/author/elizabethgauffreau/
Welcome, Robbie!
I am very pleased to host the multi-genre, multi-talented Roberta Eaton Cheadle today. She has a brand new collection of short stories, And the Grave Awaits, available for preorder. One of the stories, “All that Glitters is not Gold,” is based on the true story young women during World War I who thought they were contributing to the war effort, having no idea that they were putting their own lives at risk. Here is Robbie to give you the historical events that inspired “All that Glitters is not Gold.”
The Radium Girls and the origin of my short story, “All that Glitters is not Gold”
The Radium Girls were female factory workers who were hired to paint watches and military dials with luminous paint during World War One. The watches were primarily used by the American soldiers, called dough boys, in the trenches. They were highly prized because they glowed in the dark.
The paint the women used was made from powdered radium, zinc sulfide (a phosphor), gum arabic, and water. The women, aged between sixteen and their early twenties, were told the paint was harmless. This was in line with the general attitude towards radium at the time. Because it had been used successfully in the treatment of cancer, radium was included in health tonics and cosmetics because ‘it was good for you.” The women were instructed to use their mouths to moisten and point their paint brushes to give them a fine tip for the detailed work.
By Unknown author. – http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/history_of_medicine/manuscripts/us_radium_corporation, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82821901
The women were careless about the paint. The powder got all over their clothes and made them glow in the dark. They used it to paint their fingernails, teeth, and lips. They even used it to paint the bars of cots for their babies.
Continue reading here: https://lizgauffreau.com/2024/07/10/spotlight-on-and-the-grave-awaits-by-roberta-eaton-cheadle
roberta-writes.com 
I love Liz’s reviews, Robbie! Congratulations!!!
LikeLike
This was such a fascinating story, Robbie. Cheers to Liz for being such a great host!
LikeLike
Brilliant post with so much fascinating information !
Congratulations Robbie 🤗
LikeLike
It was my pleasure to host you, Robbie!
LikeLike
💗🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, Roberta. This tragic story needs to be read. I’ll be really involved when I read it.
LikeLike
HI Tim, this was a real tragedy for these beautiful young girls.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s amazing what little people knew about the dangers of radium back then. But then again, is it any better about drugs and vaccines that we are told are safe and good for you these days?
LikeLike
I think it depends on the country. Some countries are more transparent than others. The corporation did know that radium was bad for you as the men in the laboratories work protective gear to some extent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have not gotten to “All that Glitters is not Gold” because it is last but I am looking forward to reading it. Probably later today. It reminds me of when I was a physics student in Sweden. We were doing experiments with Cesium 137, which is a thousand times more radioactive than Plutonium. It was kept in a pile of lead bricks for safety. We were supposed to take it out for a short time, do the experiment, and put it back inside the lead confinement. However, I got distracted and put the sample in my back pocket in my jeans and forgot about it. I was walking around the whole day with it before I realized it. The next day I put it back. Probably not safe but I don’t think anything happened.
LikeLike
Hi Thomas, I don’t think one day would do you that much damage. These girls were ingesting this paint laden with radium for years. I remember doing some science experiments that were on the more dangerous side too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes you are right of course. Back then they did not know better.
At hospitals they use small amounts of cesium-137 for radiation treatment to kill cancer cells, so I thought it was interesting that I walked around with it in my back pocket a whole day. I did other lab mistakes to. I removed a cap from a big laser and under the cap there was a hole. I was curious so I put my finger in the hole while holding the metallic ground of the laser. Turned out the cap was a fuse and I electrocuted myself with 380 Volt 3-phase current. I was fine but labs can be dangerous.
LikeLike
OH my, you are lucky you were fine. Labs can be dangerous.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your collection of stories is exceptional, Robbie. I was mesmerized by them. Bravo for Liz’s excellent review and know that I add my cheers! 🎉🎊🎉
LikeLike
Thank you, Gwen. I’m am so pleased you enjoyed this collection.
LikeLike
All credit to Robbie. Yet another damning story of the ignorance and uncaring attitude towards many workers.
LikeLike
Hi Joy, yes, exactly. The company did know radium was dangerous. The men in the laboratories making the paint wore protective gear.
LikeLiked by 1 person
what a fascinating and disturbing back story —
LikeLike
Hi John, I know. It is a tragic story but it had a positive outcome in that it changed the labour law. Of course, Donald Trump is wanting to change this back again …
LikeLiked by 1 person
that is a REAL worry 😦
LikeLike
YES, let’s hope the new political candidate is a change for the better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was amazing to read about those ladies. I’ve never heard of them before. Thanks for this.
LikeLike
My pleasure, Jacqui. Their legal case is fascinating. I am writing a standalone book about them but the going is slow because I’m having to research USA courts and legal processes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh dear – it must have been hard to write about those poor ladies.
LikeLike
There story is just one of the injustices of the past, Jan. Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
This is such a tragic story that definitely needs to be told. Thank you for sharing this.
LikeLike
Hi Donna, my pleasure. I am glad you appreciated this story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fascinating and tragic look back, Robbie. We need to be reminded of this in our blind trust of authority. Heartbreaking to think of their sacrifice and work so abused.
LikeLike
HI Dora, you are right and it was very tragic for these women and their families. At least in their case it resulted in legislative changes for the better going forward.
LikeLiked by 1 person