Episode 107. The Radium Girls and the Sallie House

Oy with the Terror Podcast

Hello! In this episode, Danielle discusses the Radium Girls. We go back to the 1920s in the United States. The world is reeling from World War I jobs are a hot commodity and factory jobs are more important than ever. Radium, a chemical recently discovered by Marie Curie was considered a miracle cure to aid in cancer treatment. In addition, radium was also used in household products like toothpaste, clock faces, and watch dials. So when jobs in radium factories boomed women jumped at the chance to earn a steady income. Young women in particular were needed in factories to paint watch faces using radium. Radium was used because the chemical properties made anything it came in contact with glow. This includes the numbers on the watch faces, but it also left a powdery residue on the girls' hair and clothes. They were unaware of any potential negative health effects combined with their employers' complete dispellment of radium being harmful. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and quickly women started getting sicker and sicker. Find out what happens to the radium girls.

Then, Sandra talks about the Sallie house located in Atchinson Kansas. Known as the most haunted house in the United States, the Sallie house was built at the turn of the century and housed a doctor who lived in Atchinson. Today it is not inhabited by anyone but guests can visit during the day and can stay the night. Due to it;s violent history to stay or even visit the house guests need to sign a waiver. The hauntings include electric batteries draining, moving objects, and even unexplained scratches and bruises appearing during and after guests' visits. The house has also been featured on popular networks such as SYFY, The Discovery Channel, and the Travel Channel. Danielle's Source:

https://www.britannica.com/story/radium-girls-the-women-who-fought-for-their-lives-in-a-killer-workplace https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/new-jerseys-radium-girls-and-nist-trained-scientist-who-came-their-aid

Sandra's Sources: https://visitatchison.com/listing/sallie-house
https://travelwithsara.com/2023/09/27/most-haunted-house-in-america/

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