Section 1.1: The Radium Girls

The Radium Girls were factory workers who painted luminous watch dials from 1917 to 1920. Their ordeal unfolded across several U.S. Radium Corporation facilities located in Orange, New Jersey; Ottawa, Illinois; and Waterbury, Connecticut. While the company took precautions to protect its owners and scientists—like using lead screens and masks—the female workers were left unprotected and unaware of the dangers associated with radium exposure.

They mixed the paint in small crucibles and used thin camel-hair brushes for detailed work. Unfortunately, the brushes would lose their fine tips quickly, leading to a disturbing practice: the women were encouraged to lick the brushes to reshape them, unknowingly increasing their exposure to the toxic substance. Entranced by the paint's glow, they often painted their nails and faces, oblivious to the peril they were inviting.

Subsection 1.1.1: The Dreadful Impact of Radium

Dentists were among the first to notice alarming health issues among the women, who reported loose teeth and non-healing wounds after extractions. Other serious symptoms followed, including anemia, unexpected fractures, and jaw necrosis. The Radium Corporation denied any link between these conditions and radium exposure, even pressuring medical professionals to misdiagnose the women.

Mollie Maggia was the first dial painter to die from radiation sickness in 1923. Initially, she suffered from a toothache, but as her condition deteriorated, her jaw became infected and required complete removal. By 1924, numerous women had fallen ill, and several had died, all while facing a campaign to discredit them with false diagnoses.

Section 1.2: The Fight for Justice

After deciding to pursue legal action against the Radium Corporation, the women faced significant challenges, including finding a lawyer willing to take their case. Many were so weakened that they struggled to lift their arms to testify. Nonetheless, a group of five brave women—Grace Fryer, Edna Hussman, Katherine Schaub, Quinta McDonald, and Albina Larice—successfully took on the corporation and won, paving the way for improved workplace safety regulations across the nation.