What happened to many girls who worked in matchstick factories?

For 12 to 16 hours a day, workers dipped treated wood into a phosphorus concoction, then dried and cut the sticks into matches. ... However, too much of it can cause phosphorus poisoning. People who were exposed in matchstick factories to white phosphorus are known historically to have developed physical ailments.

Explanation:

the mothers played a major role in confronting the government and ending the war.