The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox
The following is a repeat and if you remember it, bless you. It means you’ve been on board the FF bus for seven full years! 😀
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
RADIUM DIAL
“Jinny was barely growed. 1914-1934” Her lower lip quivered as she traced the dates on the headstone with a frail finger. “She earned $17.50 a week painting them glow-in-the-dark clock numbers.”
Wind gusting across St. Columbus Cemetery chilled me. “Let’s get you home, Mrs. Abbot.”
“Not yet. I want you to see.” She seethed and brandished a Geiger counter probe over her sister’s grave. “Jinny took sick. Strange. Her jaws done crumbled. Died like the other girls at her factory. The doctors made lame excuses. Damned liars is what they was.” The machine sputtered. “That sound like Diphtheria to you?”
To know more…lots more CLICK HERE.
*****************
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Hi Rochelle,
I enjoy your trips into history. In this case the truth was a tragedy for the women who worked in those factories. I read once, that some women who painted the illuminate paint on dials used to lick the end of the small paint brush.
Even today such exploitation exists; in the asian community in Leicester UK it has been reported in the papers that some women in garment factories are only being paid £3.00 per hour. (the UK minimum wage its over £10.00 per hour).
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was doing beadwork for a tribal gift shop. I was getting paid $2.00 per necklace… they were selling for $35.00. Needless, I stopped doing it when I found that out. Highway robbery and GREED! Now, if I make a beadwork anything, I get all the money for it. Although the market tanked due to pandemic and rampant inflation. Shalom, Bear
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear James,
It is a shocking story. It is because those girls licked the end of the paintbrush to keep it sharp that they ended up with crumbling jaws. What a horrible way to go. Exploitation is universal.
Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 2 people
James, the method was, “point, dip, paint” over and over again. Each time they lip-pointed, the radium-infused paint went into their mouths. Day upon day, year upon year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The story of the Radium girls has always shocked and bewildered me. But, I must remind myself that the knowledge we have now was not the knowledge that they had then. I do remember “glow” watches and wanting one, but Poppy refused to let me buy one. I didn’t understand why then (I was 8), but I do now. Instead, I got a plain watch with Snoopy on the face. I used that watch clear up into my late 20’s. Poignant story. Gonna be hard to better this one. Shalom, Bear
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Bear,
It sounds like Poppy was onto something. I would love to have a Snoopy watch today. I do have a Star of David watch with Hebrew characters. 😉 Analog to confound the younger generation. Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Give us bread but give us roses! Well done, Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Neil.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Dear Rochelle,
What a horrible piece of history – told beautifully, of course!
Shalom and lotsa bright love,
Dale
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dale,
It’s very sad…horrifying. The fact that they swept it under the rug makes it that much worse. Thank you re my story.
Shalom and lotsa non-radioactive hugs,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Truly. And makes you wonder just how many things were (are) swept under the rug today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember this story and the facts behind it. So very sad for the irreversible outcome of the workers. The link is a must read. Well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jan,
This is one of those “never forget” circumstances, isn’t it? Thanks, m’luv
LikeLike
Rochelle, thanks for using my photo. The article you linked to is written by the author of the book named at the bottom of the article. Seeing the glassware in the museum led me to read the book. The stuff of nightmares. I call it a playbook in Evil Corporate Avoidance in Accountability. You do a potent synopsis in your story this week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lisa,
I really love the photo and appreciate the loan. Wow, we really were n the same page this week. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rochelle, you’re very welcome. I hope between the two of us we’ve put the proper light on it.
Shalom,
Lisa
LikeLike
I’ve been here for more than seven years, but I do not remember reading this story before. Chalk it up to old age, maybe 🙂
How incredibly sad. I learned recently that the green dye used in Victorian times, on fabric for women’s dresses, was toxic. Beautiful color, but deadly.
I wonder how long it took for someone–anyone–to start connecting these deaths with the paint.
LikeLike
Linda, the painting section of the company was well aware of radium’s toxic effects, and despite warning after warning, the company presidents meticulously bought off everyone who knew the truth in order to actively keep the information from “the girls,” some as young as 11 years old. It was only when the girls, now women, decided to start filing suits, that the truth began to come out. Decades went by before any kind of justice in court, but what is justice in court when you’re being eaten alive by a bone-seeking monster in your body 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
p.s. typo above. It should say the painting mixing sections. And there were companies all over the place. The book focused on 2 companies, one in NJ and one in Ottawa, IL.
LikeLike
It’s a real-life horror story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Linda,
We’ve all slept since I posted this the first time…with a different picture. 😉 And how many stories since then? It’s all good. It is a tragis story that shouldn’t be forgotten. Thank you. (Glad you’ve been with us this long. :D)
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
It’s incredibly sad how the love of money can result in murder…slow or instant. I saw a documentary on this story…so eery and tragic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Clare,
It is an incredibly eerie story. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Great story and little history lesson. Thanks, Rochelle!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Rosemary.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was unaware of this prior to reading your piece, and I’ve learned more having perused the comments beneath it. Unimaginably dreadful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Keith,
Horrifying, dreadful and a whole other list of adjectives. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, and I remember, which makes me old … 😉 or at least, an oldish friend …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Na’ama Y’karah,
I can’t tell you how happy it makes to have had you on board this long. We’ll say long time friend. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀 I am not averse to being my age. I’ve EARNED it! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It beats the alternative. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL
LikeLike
another interesting bit of history. thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Plaridel,
I do my best. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Pixie “The Purple Marionette” WTF,
I suppose you lick the tips of your paintbrushes too. Apparently, it’ sharpened your wit instead of the bristles, but at least your jaw seems fine. You move it quite freely when ordering Jan around.
Now get out there and collect some glow-in-the-dark DNR tags.
Prof. Bing Bang
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Professor Bing Bang,
Moi? Order Jan around? I just make creatively agressive suggestions. Good brushes don’t need to be licked. 😉
Ooh. I love glow in the dark DNR tags.
Shalom,
Pixie “The Purple Marionette” W(T)F
LikeLike
I found out about this because the book became our book club’s book of the month. It was truly sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Tessa,
It seems the right time to have shared this story again. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was absolutely shocked by the story. Sharing it has boosted my memory of such a shocking story.
LikeLike
Superbly written story about a horribly tragic event. The heartlessness and inhumanity we show to one another at times is impossible to comprehend.
Shalom, Dear Rochelle
🕊️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Nancy,
It is unthinkable. And more unthinkable that it was swept under the rug. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is such a tragic story, Rochelle, and beautifully told. I felt like I was right there with this heartbroken sister. This story is going to stick with me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Angela,
I couldn’t ask for a better comment/compliment. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
It never occurred to me to wonder how those watch faces glowed. I suppose the same was true for too many of these girls; and maybe some of the bosses too. All the bosses though? I somehow doubt it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jen,
They stopped using radium for watches in the 1960’s. Certainly during my lifetime, but I’m not sure about yours. 😉 Somebody knew what was going on. So sad. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Alas, this is no fiction. Health and safety wasn’t invented ’til later.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Rob,
Although one has to wonder if how reliable health and safety are today. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember this one and it is just as heartbreaking the second time around.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Gabi,
I knew you’d been an FF’r for a while. Glad you’re still here. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Hi Rochelle.. more tragic history… this is like the Matchstick girls.
Those poor things, no choice but to work and no one knew it would kill them… or the bosses did know and made them do it anyway. Another terrific history snapshot from you. Well told with the geiger counter.
Laurie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Laurie,
I wonder how long it took them to connect the dots? Very tragic history indeed. Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember reading about these women. Not sure if it was here. Another wonderful 100 word piece of historic fiction. I love it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dawn,
You could’ve read about them here. Pretty sure you were part of the FF community in 2017. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person