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She completed her education at the Royal Free Hospital's women's medical college. Mackay was the female physician at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and also the first woman to be appointed as a consultant for this Hospital. She was also among the first women to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. Helen Mackay was the first person to investigate anemia in infants and to appointed iron deficiency as an important factor in anemia. Since her research findings in 1920’s on anemia, iron deficiency and the importance of breastfeeding and iron treatments in infants an increase in hemoglobin concentrations in infants have been seen in Britain. Mackay died, on July 17th, 1965 due to a stroke and was buried in London.

Career and research

Helen Mackay became the first female physician at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Mackay was a part of a British team led by Harriette Chick. This team’s studies displayed the importance of cod liver oil and sunlight in preventing and potentially curing rickets. While working on finding the cause of rickets, Mackay noticed all of the infants in her studies were anemic and thus she became interested in finding the cause of anemia. Mackay returned to London and conducted the first investigation on anemia in infants with the help of medical statistician Major Greenwood. Mackay discovered that iron deficiency had a very important role in the cause of anemia in infants. She further discovered that breastfed infants had a lower chance of becoming anemic than those fed with artificial milk. Her research also provided compelling evidence that showed infants who were given iron developed fewer infections, gained more weight, and overall, were healthier. The findings of her studies were summarized in “Nutritional Anaemia in Infancy” and published in 1931. Helen Mackay was the first person to try to define anemia by defining the lower limit of normal hemoglobin concentration. Today, the World Health Organization’s definition of anemia closely resembles Mackay’s definition.

Legacy and Death

Helen Mackay was concerned about the impact of social conditions on child health and development. By setting up clinics in Hackney, Mackay was able to help mothers and babies in her community. In 1945, Helen Mackay was elected to the British Paediatric Association, and she was one of the first women to be appointed. She continued to work as a consultant pediatrician for the Mother's Hospital, Clapton, and to Hackney Hospital until 1959. O,n July 17th 1965, Mackay died due to a stroke, and she was buried 3 days later at the Golders Green crematorium in London.