United States Radium Corporation: Difference between revisions

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===The Radium Girls===

During the 1920s, the dangers of Radium is not yet known to the public. Around 4,000+ workers were hired in handling radium by the USRC for dial painting. Some of the female workers have been spraying radium in their hair, use it as a nail polish, and even painting their teeth with Undark, being oblivious to the dangers brought by Radium. Because paintbrushes will lose shape on each strokes, they were intructed to perform the "lip, dip, paint" in order to keep the paint sharp. Due to the luminosity of Radium, the workers' clothes would also glow in the dark, thus they were also known as the "Ghost Girls".

During the 1920s, the dangers of Radium are not yet known to the public. Around 4,000+ workers were hired in handling radium by the USRC for dial painting. Some of the female workers have been spraying radium in their hair, use it as a nail polish, and even painting their teeth with Undark, being oblivious to the dangers brought by Radium. Because paintbrushes will lose shape on each strokes, they were intructed to perform the "lip, dip, paint" in order to keep the paint sharp. Due to the luminosity of Radium, the workers' clothes would also glow in the dark, thus they were also known as the "Ghost Girls".

The company actually never made the dangers of Radium a secret; the managers and scientists wore safety gears, metal tongs, and LED screen. Even von Sochocky reported warn one of the female workers about the dangers of Radium, where when she asked one of the managers, he simply dismissed his warning. Soon afterwards, many of the female workers began experiencing symptoms, the first being the 24-year old worker, Amelia Maggia. After visiting the dentist for oral-related symptoms, the dentists notice numerous lesions, ulcers, and dental problems upon examining their mouth. Soonafter, they develop anemia, fractures, necrosis in the jaw which was later known as the "Radium Jaw". Their bones became too frail that it may crack by a slight pressure. On December 1922, Maggia died due to severe bleeding caused by a necrosis of her jaw. For the next 2 years, 9 more female workers died of radiation sickness with most suffering from bone cancers.

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One of the workers, Grace Fryer decided to sue USRS under the Occupational Injury Law along with 4 other workers. They suffered a delay in their litigation due to their worsening illness and the fact that the dangers brought by Radium is not yet clearly understood at the time, thus finding an attorney to take on the case was not easy. USRC was allegedly delaying the process in order to lead to more deaths to avoid lawsuit with some even stealing the bodies of the workers who died from radiation sickness to cover-up.

By 1928, the founder USRC Sabin von Sochocky suffered radiation sickness. His death became the catalyst in settling their lawsuit despite the USRC's denial in allegations. By the end of the year, each of the surviving workers were compensated with $10,000 for their medical and legal expenses. By the late 1930s, Catherine Wolfe who was also suffering from her illness started her fight for justice, ignoring her doctor's advice and wanting her death to become the evidence for the company's malicious practices and the evidence of Radium poisoning. With her lawyer, Leonard Grossman, Wolfe won the case and USRC was forced to pay.

By 1928, the founder of USRC Sabin von Sochocky also suffered radiation sickness. His death became the catalyst in settling their lawsuit despite the USRC's denial of allegations. By the end of the year, each of the surviving workers were compensated with $10,000 for their medical and legal expenses. By the late 1930s, Catherine Wolfe who was also suffering from her illness started her fight for justice, ignoring her doctor's advice and wanting her death to become the evidence for the company's malicious practices and the evidence of Radium poisoning. With her lawyer, Leonard Grossman, Wolfe won the case and USRC was forced to pay.

Until this day, the victim's remains are so contaminated by radiation to the point that their graves are also radioactive.

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 ===The Radium Girls===
-During the 1920s, the dangers of Radium is not yet known to the public. Around 4,000+ workers were hired in handling radium by the USRC for dial painting. Some of the female workers have been spraying radium in their hair, use it as a nail polish, and even painting their teeth with Undark, being oblivious to the dangers brought by Radium. Because paintbrushes will lose shape on each strokes, they were intructed to perform the "lip, dip, paint" in order to keep the paint sharp. Due to the luminosity of Radium, the workers' clothes would also glow in the dark, thus they were also known as the "Ghost Girls".
+During the 1920s, the dangers of Radium are not yet known to the public. Around 4,000+ workers were hired in handling radium by the USRC for dial painting. Some of the female workers have been spraying radium in their hair, use it as a nail polish, and even painting their teeth with Undark, being oblivious to the dangers brought by Radium. Because paintbrushes will lose shape on each strokes, they were intructed to perform the "lip, dip, paint" in order to keep the paint sharp. Due to the luminosity of Radium, the workers' clothes would also glow in the dark, thus they were also known as the "Ghost Girls".
 The company actually never made the dangers of Radium a secret; the managers and scientists wore safety gears, metal tongs, and LED screen. Even von Sochocky reported warn one of the female workers about the dangers of Radium, where when she asked one of the managers, he simply dismissed his warning. Soon afterwards, many of the female workers began experiencing symptoms, the first being the 24-year old worker, Amelia Maggia. After visiting the dentist for oral-related symptoms, the dentists notice numerous lesions, ulcers, and dental problems upon examining their mouth. Soonafter, they develop anemia, fractures, necrosis in the jaw which was later known as the "Radium Jaw". Their bones became too frail that it may crack by a slight pressure. On December 1922, Maggia died due to severe bleeding caused by a necrosis of her jaw. For the next 2 years, 9 more female workers died of radiation sickness with most suffering from bone cancers.
@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 One of the workers, Grace Fryer decided to sue USRS under the Occupational Injury Law along with 4 other workers. They suffered a delay in their litigation due to their worsening illness and the fact that the dangers brought by Radium is not yet clearly understood at the time, thus finding an attorney to take on the case was not easy. USRC was allegedly delaying the process in order to lead to more deaths to avoid lawsuit with some even stealing the bodies of the workers who died from radiation sickness to cover-up.
-By 1928, the founder USRC Sabin von Sochocky suffered radiation sickness. His death became the catalyst in settling their lawsuit despite the USRC's denial in allegations. By the end of the year, each of the surviving workers were compensated with $10,000 for their medical and legal expenses. By the late 1930s, Catherine Wolfe who was also suffering from her illness started her fight for justice, ignoring her doctor's advice and wanting her death to become the evidence for the company's malicious practices and the evidence of Radium poisoning. With her lawyer, Leonard Grossman, Wolfe won the case and USRC was forced to pay.
+By 1928, the founder of USRC Sabin von Sochocky also suffered radiation sickness. His death became the catalyst in settling their lawsuit despite the USRC's denial of allegations. By the end of the year, each of the surviving workers were compensated with $10,000 for their medical and legal expenses. By the late 1930s, Catherine Wolfe who was also suffering from her illness started her fight for justice, ignoring her doctor's advice and wanting her death to become the evidence for the company's malicious practices and the evidence of Radium poisoning. With her lawyer, Leonard Grossman, Wolfe won the case and USRC was forced to pay.
 Until this day, the victim's remains are so contaminated by radiation to the point that their graves are also radioactive.