Elsie Widdowson
Encyclopedia
Dr Elsie Widdowson FRS (1906 - 14 June 2000, Cambridge
, England), was a British scientist responsible for overseeing the government mandated addition of vitamins to food and war-time rationing in Britain during World War II
.
She graduated with a PhD
in chemistry from Imperial College, London in 1928; her thesis was on the carbohydrate content of apples. Widdowson and her scientific partner, Robert McCance
, headed the first mandated addition of vitamins and mineral to food. Their work began in the early 1940s, when calcium was added to bread. The two were also responsible for formulating the war-time rationing of Britain during World War II.
She coauthored The Chemical Composition of Foods in 1940 with Professor McCance. Their work became known the basis for modern nutritional thinking.
She was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour
in 1993, which is awarded for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry, or religion.
She was the sister of Eva Crane
, who was trained as a nuclear physicist but became a world renowned authority on bees.
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, England), was a British scientist responsible for overseeing the government mandated addition of vitamins to food and war-time rationing in Britain during World War II
Rationing in the United Kingdom during and after World War II
Rationing in the United Kingdom refers to rationing introduced by the government of the United Kingdom several times during the 20th century, mostly during and immediately after war....
.
She graduated with a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in chemistry from Imperial College, London in 1928; her thesis was on the carbohydrate content of apples. Widdowson and her scientific partner, Robert McCance
Robert McCance
Robert McCance was Professor of Experimental Medicine, Cambridge University.Born in Ulster, he was educated at St. Bees School, before wartime service in the Royal Naval Air Service, piloting an observation aircraft from a warship. After the war he began a scientific career.With colleague H...
, headed the first mandated addition of vitamins and mineral to food. Their work began in the early 1940s, when calcium was added to bread. The two were also responsible for formulating the war-time rationing of Britain during World War II.
She coauthored The Chemical Composition of Foods in 1940 with Professor McCance. Their work became known the basis for modern nutritional thinking.
She was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
in 1993, which is awarded for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry, or religion.
She was the sister of Eva Crane
Eva Crane
Eva Crane was a researcher and author on the subjects of bees and beekeeping. Trained as a quantum mathematician, she changed her field of interest to bees, and spent decades researching bees, traveling to more than 60 countries, often under primitive conditions. The New York Times reported that...
, who was trained as a nuclear physicist but became a world renowned authority on bees.