Carter Roy

In 1906, he studied under the Curies in Paris, so he knows better than most that radium is dangerous.

Still, in 1913, back in the States, von Sashaki figures out how to turn radium into a product.

He develops a luminous paint, radium powder mixed with zinc sulfide, glue, and water.

He calls it...

undark von sashaki founds the radium luminous material corporation to manufacture it now the company later reorganizes as the united states radium corporation or usrc and here's the kicker by 1917 von sashaki himself is so heavily contaminated that his presence causes false readings in the lab

He dies years later in 1928.

He's 45 years old, one of his own products victims.

Still, they continue to manufacture Undark.

And by 1917, the demand for glow-in-the-dark watches is so high, USRC opens a new factory in Orange, New Jersey.

USRC needs workers to apply the paint.

The watch faces are tiny, some barely wider than a thumbnail.

The work requires small, steady hands and good eyes.

So they recruit young women like Grace Fryer, some as young as 14.

Grace's supervisors walk her through the process.

It's simple enough.

You mix your own paint in a little container.

You dip your camel hair brush in the mixture.

Then you paint the numbers on the watch dial.

Grace's colleagues tell her the brushes lose their shape after a few strokes, so here's the trick.

To get a fine point, you put the brush between your lips.