The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women

The company’s ad in the paper has convinced the town that Radium Dial’s intentions are good, and with the depression worsening, the town is grateful to the company for providing employment.

Catherine Wolfe Donohue married her husband Tom in January 1932, and now in 1933, her health was suffering. She has consulted several doctors in Ottawa, but they were unhelpful. Several girls who worked at Radium Dial have died, but the diversity of ailments has made doctors think that their shared employment was unrelated. Furthermore, they were unqualified to diagnose radium poisoning, having had no experience with it. Catherine and her friends Marie and Charlotte share their experiences. Charlotte has developed pain and swelling in her left arm. The women grow suspicious that it was indeed the paint.

Tom Donohue recruits a Chicago doctor, Charles Loffler, to examine Catherine. Loffler runs tests to try to diagnose her, while the bills soar. Charlotte and others soon seek his care, too, and an informal clinic was is up in a local hotel. After some time, Charlotte’s pain grows excruciating, and a doctor helps her decide to amputate her right arm.

Not long after, the Donohues receive notice that Loffler had finally found a diagnosis: X-rays showed evidence of radium poisoning.