The Radium Girls: The Deadly Deception

They were told the paint was harmless. They were told to put the brushes to their lips. And then their bodies began to break down. In the early 20th century, young women in American factories painted watch dials with radium-based luminous paint. The glow was beautiful. The consequences were devastating. This is the story of the Radium Girls — the workers who suffered horrific illnesses, challenged powerful employers, and helped change the future of workplace safety. From Mollie Maggia and Grace Fryer to the investigations that exposed the dangers of radium, this documentary uncovers the human cost behind a seemingly miraculous invention. In this documentary: The Radium Girls and the luminous paint known as Undark How radium exposure damaged the human body Mollie Maggia, Grace Fryer, and the fight for justice The scientific investigations and legal battles that exposed the danger The myths and facts behind one of America's most haunting industrial tragedies Their story is a chilling reminder of what can happen when workers are told to trust those who put their lives at risk. 0:00 Cold open 0:34 The best job in town 1:30 The girls who glowed 1:57 Two sets of rules 2:34 The jaw 3:01 The report that was changed 3:33 What the bones said 4:26 Five women doomed to die 5:11 Ottawa 6:20 The rich man's radium 6:51 The graves 7:42 What they changed Sources: • Wikipedia: Radium Girls: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_... • Wikipedia: Radium Dial Company: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_... • Wikipedia: Grace Fryer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_F... • Wikipedia: Harrison Martland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriso... • Wikipedia: Eben Byers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eben_Byers Credits: Sound: "Geiger counter" by jo0ls (CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons); "Geiger counter sound KCl" by uyt384 (CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons); "WWS Typewriter" by Work With Sounds / Konrad Gutkowski (CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons). What Time Conceals explores forgotten history, challenges popular legends, and uncovers the stories behind the events that shaped our world. Subscribe for more historical documentaries. #RadiumGirls #HistoryDocumentary #TrueStory