Carter Roy

The case is dismissed.

But Illinois lawmakers have been paying attention to what happened in New Jersey.

In 1936, they passed the Illinois Occupational Disease Act to cover industrial poisoning from radium.

But here's the catch.

The new law isn't retroactive.

It only protects future workers.

Catherine and the other sick women are out of luck.

They try again anyway.

In 1937, they find an attorney named Leonard Grossman who agrees to take the case for free.

He brings it to the Illinois Industrial Commission.

He argues that even though the poisoning happened before the law was changed and the statute of limitations has passed,

The radium is still in the women's bodies.

It's still damaging them every single day.

The statute timer in Illinois starts when the injury occurs.

But if the injury is ongoing, how can the statute have expired?

It works.

The commission agrees to hear the case.

By now, Catherine is dying.

She weighs less than 60 pounds.

During one session, when a doctor testifies that her condition is fatal, Catherine collapses.