How the Radium Story Began
In the early 1900s, radium seemed magical. It glowed in the dark, amazed scientists, and was praised as a modern miracle. People believed it could bring energy, heal sickness, and improve daily life. It appeared in tonics, beauty products, and all kinds of consumer goods, long before its dangers were fully understood.
But warning signs appeared early. Scientists who handled radium noticed painful burns that did not behave like normal injuries. The damage spread deeper over time, showing that this bright new substance could hurt the body in ways doctors did not yet understand. Even so, excitement around radium drowned out caution.
That excitement soon turned into business. During the First World War, glowing paint became valuable for watches, compasses, gunsights, and aircraft instruments. Factories in places like Orange, New Jersey, and Ottawa, Illinois, hired young women to paint tiny numbers on dials with radium-based paint. These jobs were well paid, respected, and seen as rare opportunities for teenage girls and young women.
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