Ep. 22 - Radium Girls and The Greatest Beer Run of All Time
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Ep. 22 - Radium Girls and The Greatest Beer Run of All Time
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About this listen
"Trust me"......This can either be a phrase to gain collaboration or used by manipulative people and corporations to deceive.
Unfortunately, those words proved fatal for dozens of people in New Jersey when they were hired to paint watch faces with radium, a highly toxic compound that made the face glow in the dark - although each was assured that it was 100% safe. Oh, and by the way, it was a requirement to use their lips to make the tips of the brushes pointy for greater precision. It didn't take long for the negative effects of radium poisoning to rear its ugly head. Women would stop menstruating, jaw were detaching and simple dental procedures would never heal. This wasn't the type of thing that took decades. Within 10 years over 50 people were dead, including the Radium Girls, who were crucial to ensuring someone was held accountable!
That's not the only story in store though. Next we dive into the wild tale of Chickie Donohue, the retired marine who decided his buddies fighting in Vietnam deserved a beer. His story is one that you wouldn't believe if it wasn't documented.