The watch faces shine in the dark. At the beginning of the 20th century, this convenience was based in particular on paintings containing radium. In New Jersey, young workers apply them with fine brushes. Their managers ask them to refine the tip with their lips, ensuring that the gesture is safe.
It does, however, bring radium into their bodies. Injuries appear over time and can be fatal. Five women workers are taking action against their employer, who is challenging their responsibility. We need to turn an invisible exposure into measurable evidence.
The women’s lawyer solicits Elizabeth Hughes, formerly a researcher at the National Bureau of Standards. She knows the methods of radon measurement. By analyzing the air exhaled by the workers, it can look for traces of the radium incorporated and help establish their contamination.
His testimony contributes to their legal battle. A product sold to read the time had created an invisible danger, revealed through breath analysis.
What we know
The factory workers and NBS scientists are two distinct groups.
To go to the source
References accessed October 11, 2026. Linked pages may be in another language.
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