Ever since I was very young, I have been fascinated by radioactivity. Moore's "Radium Girls" takes one back to the time Radium was just discovered (early 20th century) and there was little known about the deleterious radioactive impact of Radium. In fact, doctors often prescribed Radium for 'good health', there were Radium foods and knick-knacks sold and it was thought of as a wonder-chemical. 'Radium Girls' is the story of women working in two particular radium-dial painting (watch dial) factories/ studios in the US who later suffered the ill-effects of radium-poisoning. Knowing what we know of radioactivity today, it was hard not to wince when I read parts of the book where the women employees played with Radium, took it home to paint their houses or other items in it or dipped the brushes they used to paint the dials in their mouths to 'point' them for more defined results while painting. The book takes one through the wonder-years of Radium to the women inevitably falling extremely sick to their judicial battle (some from deathbeds) against the companies that employed them.
This is a harrowing read and not for the faint of heart. 'Radium Girls' is an essential warning about the embrace of new technology/ chemicals without substantial research. I have no doubt that more than a hundred years on from the discovery of Radium, there are undiscovered Radiums that poison the human race (plastics, cola drinks, telecommunication airwaves) and in that, the book is a doubly chilling read, especially when one reads of the machinations of the businesses to deny allegations of harm.
What irked me was that the book seemed to end somewhat abruptly though Moore does provide an Epilogue that ties up loose ends. Even so, Radium Girls was an enjoyable if somewhat bone-chilling read.
No comments:
Post a Comment