The Story Behind This Book

In the early 20th century, radium was considered a miracle cure-all. Doctors prescribed it for many ailments, and patients believed it was safe.

In the 1920s, young women factory workers in Ottawa, IL, painted the numbers on luminous watch and clock dials with paint made from radium. They were taught to dip their brush tips into the paint, and then for a sharp point, place it between their lips. Scores of women died from this practice. This is their story.