Cicely Williams
Cicely Delphine Williams, OM, CMG, FRCP (2 December 1893 – 13 July 1992) was a Jamaican physician, most notable for her discovery and research into kwashiorkor, a condition of advanced malnutrition, and her campaign against the use of sweetened condensed milk and other artificial baby milks as substitutes for human breast milk.
Cicely Delphine Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 December 1893 Kew Park, Jamaica |
| Died | 13 July 1992 (aged 98) Oxford, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Somerville College, Oxford, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, King's College Hospital |
| Known for | Discovery of kwashiorkor and advancing the field of maternal and child health in developing nations |
| Awards | OM, CMG, FRCP |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Pediatrics, Nutrition, Biochemistry |
| Institutions | Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children, World Health Organization, University of Singapore, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine |
One of the first female graduates of Oxford University, Williams was instrumental in advancing the field of maternal and child health in developing nations, and in 1948 became the first director of Mother and Child Health (MCH) at the newly created World Health Organization (WHO). She once remarked that "if you learn your nutrition from a biochemist, you're not likely to learn how essential it is to blow a baby's nose before expecting him to suck."