The Forgotten Radium Girls Whose Deaths Saved Thousands: The Hearty Soul
Mae Keane of Waterbury, Connecticut, began her job as a dial painter in 1924, working with radium in a factory. She refused to use the “lip-pointing” technique and quit after a few days. Despite leaving early, she suffered health consequences throughout her life.
The “radium girls” who stayed on the job suffered gruesome fates, including collapsed spines and broken legs. Radium was marketed as having benefits in small doses, leading to widespread use, even as a cosmetic. Male employees working with radium were given protective gear, while the dial painter women had constant exposure.
The dangers of radium were not acknowledged until 1938, when Catherine Donohue testified from her deathbed and won her case. Her fight ultimately led to the adoption of the federal OSHA Act in 1971, which ensures safe working conditions for men and women.
