How the death of working women from excessive radiation was caused by the watch industry in the early 20th century…
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During World War I, soldiers used the famous radio dial watch, which was very useful for telling the time in the dark as the material glowed. The mass demand for these watches led to the development of a related industry in America, which employed women to manufacture them, at very good wages.
At that time it was noticed that pocket watches were impractical neither for soldiers nor for a common man, so wristwatches came to the fore. Initially, the factories produced watches with dark dials but again it did not make it easier for the soldiers who could not see the time at night. Thus, the dial had to have a color that is clearly visible in all conditions, but also not to be made of aluminum and reflect on opponents. So what was this material? The radium discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie two decades ago.
This unique chemical element had unknown properties and no one knew exactly its "power". Marie Curie in 1890 called it "wonderful radium" despite being burned by it. Even Pierre Curie avoided it because he feared the consequences of his contact. Later, Curie died due to constant exposure to radiation, as did many other scholars.
Radium was then used to treat cancer and was a huge success. However, no one knew that repeated contact was harmful and dangerous. Also, many considered it beneficial for this and used it in cosmetics and hygiene products.
The largest radium plants in the U.S. were the US Radium Corporation and Radium Dial, which employed young women to design clocks and dials with self-luminous paint. While the plant scientists knew from their research that this particular chemical required careful handling, they informed their superiors, but the managers and owners never informed the rest of the staff. Instead, they assured workers that it was harmless.
Factories preferred women for this position because they had delicate hands, were attentive to exacting design and detail, and were called "radioactive girls". The positions especially for that time were very well paid, which is why they attracted even more attention. During their work they consumed large amounts of radioactive material after being instructed to thin the tip of the brush to their lips, but without being aware of the dangers. Women went to the factories every day wearing their "good" clothes to go out immediately after work for dancing and walks, as the dust Undark made their dresses shine. At the same time, they painted their nails, teeth and lips and for this reason many called them "female ghosts". This glow was a symbol of prestige and social status.
But health problems did not take long to appear. The first woman to show symptoms was Mollie Maggia in January 1922, who suffered from a toothache and visited a qualified doctor, who was referred by the factory where she worked in New Jersey. At first, the doctor told her that she had a simple toothache and that it would go away with time. Because of her condition, she went to a dentist who first identified a rotten tooth. When he removed the tooth, a piece of the jaw came out with it, which later turned to ashes. Eventually, he developed ulcers in his mouth that were filled with pus and bled, and the disease spread to the rest of his body. In September of the same year, he died of massive bleeding.
At the same time, more and more female workers were getting sick and showing similar symptoms to Maggia. Among the dial painters, painful symptoms such as loose, rotten and ulcerated gums and teeth were observed, and some simultaneously had anemia, necrosis of the jaw, fractures and infertility. The watch companies declared that they had no responsibility or involvement and in order to "hush up" the issue and damage the reputation of the women they claimed that they suffered from syphilis. It is worth noting that many doctors agreed with the factories not to publish the true causes. Therefore, the whole world still believed that radium was safe.
Due to the fact that the disease was spreading, the pathologist Harrison Martland who studied in detail and concluded in 1925 that women were indeed being poisoned by the deadly paint containing radium. Continuous and unprotected exposure to radiation resulted in serious health problems leading to death. Of course, the factories once again denied the claims and tried to hide the findings. This time it didn't work because the sick women decided to get justice and protect their colleagues, who were still working to support their families financially.
The first to take legal action against the radio was the worker Grace Fryer. The whole process was time-consuming as most of the lawyers dropped the case, the witnesses were so ill that they could not even attend and swear in court. In 1927 Raymond Berry took over as solicitor. Subsequently, 5 victims of the radioactive paint banded together and became a class in the lawsuit. The media of the time shed light on the case and public opinion reacted demanding justice. US Radium Corp. he still denied the charges. Up until 1938, although there were unceasing efforts, they did not succeed in getting justice. The only case he won was that of Catherine Wolfe Donohue, who was seriously ill and only then was the matter settled.
For years, people have been working with the deadly Undark paint, putting their lives at risk without even knowing it. Their employers and scientists knew the severity but refused to publicly acknowledge that their employees were getting sick and dying because of the radium and the technique they had to follow.
The case of the "radioactive girls" went down in history both for misinforming and misleading employees and the public, as well as for the reason for the establishment of health and safety regulations with legislation, in workplaces.
*Cover photo: CNN
