571 - The Radium Girls
Summary
Dave and Matt welcome back guest Jess Perkins, who shares her recent "Euro summer" travels and her realization that Australia is "ugly" compared to the Swiss Alps. The trio then dives into this week's report on the "Radium Girls," detailing how the US Radium Corporation exploited women in the 1920s to paint luminous dials with toxic radium. The episode explores the tragic consequences of corporate negligence, including the disintegration of workers' bones, and contrasts the company's protective measures for scientists with the lack of safety for factory workers.
Topics discussed
Canada tour wrap-up and upcoming 2026 live shows
Ticket info and banter about Euro summer vs Oz winter
Travel highlights: Switzerland, Italy, and Ballarat
Game: Guessing the element discovered by the Curies
Roasting friends and discussing Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Introduction to Radium Girls and luminous paint
Radium as a health tonic and Ebenezer Byers' story
Graphic symptoms of radium poisoning and worker safety
Squarespace sponsor segment and 'tiny hands' joke
The 'Glow in the Dark' dial painters and company property
Physical deterioration: teeth, jaw, and bone disintegration
Company denial and blaming workers for their illness
Smearing victims with syphilis accusations and Doctor Drinker
Corporate defense tactics and silencing medical findings
Proving the link: male employee death and scientific evidence
The settlement: $600 annuity and legal battles
Factory closure and the 'sluts in the family' defense
Legacy: Labor rights, safety standards, and radon measurement
Pop culture references and modern corporate parallels
Listener questions: Favorite childhood books and memories
Facts, quotes, and travel tips from Brussels and Munich
Shoutouts to supporters and the Triptych Club inductees
Final inductees, social media links, and sign-off
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