Deadly Glow: The Radium Dial Worker Tragedy [Paperback]

Ross Mullner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0875532454 | ISBN-13: 978-0875532455 | Edition: 1

Deadly Glow is an important story of a public health tragedy. It chronicles the lives of numerous young women who worked in radium application plants in the early 1900s painting numerals on instrument and watch dials. From their experience, the harmful effects of radium deposited in the body became known. The victims suffered from skin ulcerations, tumors, and other severe medical symptoms. Physicians were baffled and misdiagnosed their conditions as heart disease and even syphilis. Solving the intriguing mystery of the workers' disabling, yet unknown, disease would be a complex and difficult task requiring brilliant detective work of several investigators. In time, this tragedy would be recognized as the worlds' first mass experience with injury and death caused by exposure to atomic radiation. This is a compelling story for occupational medicine, health physics, radiation safety, and public health workers. But for all people, Deadly Glow will tell the dreadful tale and heroic conclusion of a public health disaster.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Amer Public Health Assn; 1 edition (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875532454
• ISBN-13: 978-0875532455
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #947,827 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deadly Glow, March 24, 2001

By 

Denise M. Oleske, Ph.D. (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadly Glow: The Radium Dial Worker Tragedy (Paperback)

This book is a compelling and carefully documented story of the tragedy of the first widely known victims of the atomic age, the radium dial workers. The author superbly blends scientific fact with vivid characterizations of the emotions and suffering of these workers. Numerous pictures from the early part of the last century of people, places, and artifacts unique to the story help transport the reader to that period in time. The chapter, "The Ottawa Society of the Living Dead," focuses on the fate of hundreds of young women in their teens and early twenties who worked at the largest dial-painting establishment. Besides tipping the brushes to add precision to painting the numbers on dials, these women were encouraged to paint common household items and decorate the buttons and belts of their dresses with paint. The deadly consequences of these practices were protracted by years of a myriad of legal battles with the only solace that these battles finally brought public attention to the plight of these women. I heartily concur with the remarks in the Foreword by the former Section Head for Human Radiobiology at Argonne National Laboratory, "Who should read this book?....everybody."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true story..., April 7, 2001

By 

"icahtaka" (Overland Park, KS USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadly Glow: The Radium Dial Worker Tragedy (Paperback)

An outstanding and well-researched work about true history in our fine country. Dr. Mullner was a guest lecturer when I was a student in Chicago in 1990. I went to hear his talk because my grandfather was the physician in Chicago who identified the link between radium and oral cancer among the Elgin workers who painted the watch faces with radium paint. He filled in the entire history for me, and I am more than grateful with his rendition of "the rest of the story..."

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deadly Glow Review, August 13, 2006

By 

Mr. R. L. Wittkamp "Woodie" (Crest Hill, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Deadly Glow: The Radium Dial Worker Tragedy (Paperback)

Excellent and informative book regarding the lax view which

was taken in the early 1900's regarding radioactivity and worker health and safety issues as well as denial by companies that they had any responsibility for these workers illnesses and deaths in spite of overwhelming proof to the contrary.