Tho-Radia

In the early 1910s, French pharmacist Alexandre Jaboin postulated the principles of "microcurietherapy", inspired by the success of curietherapy in treating certain cancers: he assumed that very small doses of radium would stimulate living cells and increase their energy.

[2] In order to launch his company, Alexis Moussalli also associated with Secor (Société d'exportation, commission, représentation), a French-American corporation, which was to field Tho-Radia products on the market.

[2] Tho-Radia creams got noticed through their recognisable advertising, designed by publicist Tony Burnand, depicting a young, blond woman lit from below by visible rays.

[2] From 1937, regulation on radioactive materials changed, limiting their usage to medical prescription and mandating a red label with the mentions "Poison", or "Toxic" for products with internal use.

[4] Business slowed down for Tho-Radia during the war, but from 1948 it gathered momentum again, as Alexis Moussalli and chemist Pierre Corniou developed further products such as skincare beauty milk, perfume and lipstick.