Ghost Girl

Summary

The undefined website recounts the tragic story of the "Ghost Girls," 1920s working-class women who painted watch dials with radium and suffered from radium poisoning.

Abstract

The "Ghost Girls" were women employed to paint watch dials with radium during the 1920s, a time when the element was hailed for its luminescent properties and believed to be a "miracle element." Unaware of its harmful effects, the women would point their brushes with their lips, ingesting small amounts of radium daily. This led to severe health issues, including the growth of ulcers and abscesses in their jaws, and the emission of radiation that damaged their skin and bones, giving them a "honeycomb" appearance. The poem and accompanying text on the website poetically describe the women's allure and subsequent deterioration, symbolizing the deadly consequences of radium exposure and the long-lasting glow of their remains due to radium's long half-life.

Opinions

The women were seen as both luminous and opulent, drawing attention with their radiant appearance.
The author reflects on the irony of radium being considered a beneficial element, highlighting society's past ignorance of its dangers.
The poem uses vivid imagery to convey the horrific physical decay the women experienced, likening their condition to flowers blooming and the decomposition associated with their "glow in the dark" remains.
The narrative underscores the enduring impact of the radium poisoning, as the women's bodies will continue to emit light for centuries due to the element's half-life.
The text criticizes the commercial use of radium in products like cosmetics and water, which contributed to the women's exposure and subsequent health issues.

A poem

She needed no spotlight for she was the light A lucent moon waltzing away the night Her alluring smile and silver teeth Luminous nails and opulent appeal Drew men to her like moths to a light Oh! Tell me darling how you glow in the night With Time she swing-danced twice the tempo Carnations sprouted dark red and yellow From her rotting jaws and honey comb bones Dripping dark wine through her chin holes Beautifully and radiantly she falls apart Oh! Tell me darling how you glow in the dark Through history she’ll shine for centuries to rave Tell me darling how you glow in your grave

During the 1920s, working class women were hired to paint watch dials with Radium which is a radioactive element that glows in the dark. These girls ingested a little amount of Radium daily as they were instructed to slip their paint brushes between their lips to make a fine point. These women were exposed to Radium dust every day that made their clothes, skin and hair glow in the night, which is why they earned their name as “Ghost Girls”. They would also paint their teeth and nails to look opulent as they went dancing at night after work. As a matter of fact, at that time, Radium was known as “the miracle element” and “elixir of youth” and was used in a variety of commercial products like cosmetics, toothpaste and in water. It didn’t take long until these girls started experiencing the deathly symptoms of Radium poisoning. Ulcers and abscesses started growing in their jaws, filling their mouths with blood and pus (red and yellow flowers represent the blood and pus respectively). Most lost their entire lower jaw. The ingested Radium emitted destructive radiation that bore holes in their skin and bones, which gave them a honeycomb appearance. Thus, the luminosity the girls displayed at night meant their fate was sealed. Since Radium has a half-life of about 1,600 years, their remains would glow in the dark for quite a while in their graves.