Radium Girls
Introduction:
Following the discovery of radium in 1898 by chemist, Marie Curie, and her husband Pierre, radium became a booming part of the economy (Prisco, 2017). With its properties not yet fully explored, the new element was found in everything from medical treatment to household products. Advertised as "A Cure for the Living Dead" and "Perpetual Sunshine," radium was seen as a luxury product that increased the demand for any products that contained it (Orci, 2013). Not only did the element have potential health benefits, but it was also capable of emitting a bright green glow that made it unique. Radium’s luminous glow was used for its practicality, which fueled the military watch dial painting industry, beginning in the 1910s (Orci, 2013). The element’s constant, …show more content…
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