Radium Exposure in Watch Dial Factories

Many young women, like Molly Magia and her colleagues, worked in watch dial factories during the early 20th century. These women painted watch faces with glow-in-the-dark paint containing radium, a highly radioactive element. Despite being instructed to use a technique called lip pointing, where they ingested radium by licking their brushes, they were not aware of the dangers of radium exposure. As a result, the women unknowingly suffered from severe health issues, such as teeth falling out, jaw necrosis, and fatal conditions like cancer and anemia.