Lucy Wills, The Scientist Helped Save Countless Indian Women's Lives

On May 10, 2019, Google Doodle honored Lucy Wills, a British hematologist from the 20th century who is remembered for finding in Marmite the nutritional gold to help pregnant women.

So, who is Lucy Wills? Most people know about Wills through her folic acid discovery. Folic acid is a B vitamin that can be found abundantly in Marmite. This acid is an important nutrient for pregnant women. Today, pregnant women are still recommended to have an intake of 400 milligrams of folic acid per day to prevent birth defects in the spine and brain. Wills’ legacy is defined by her contribution to science. Throughout her life, her attitude and achievement were both radical and inspiring.

In 1911, Wills finished her studies at the Newnham College in Cambridge, which was a woman's only college, with dual degrees in geology and botany. By 1920, she completed her studies at the London School of Medicine for Women which was England’s first medical school for women. In 1928, she traveled to Mumbai, India. Her trip led Wills to her biggest discovery.

When she was in India, Wills observed that pregnant textile workers here were infected with macrocytic anemia. People having that condition would have their red blood cells inlarged; however, those cells’ ability to carry oxygen is greatly depleted. Wills had conducted studies on women and had carried out experiments on animals. Through that, she discovered that poor diets could be the reason behind anemia. She then continued to do further experiments to show that there was an ingredient in Marmit that could help deal with the dangerous condition. She called it the “Wills factor” at that time. The ingredient was later identified as folic acid. Her results were published in the British Medical Journal’s 1931 edition.

Her trip to India did not only lead her to her folic acid discovery. It also helped shape her personality as well as pursuits outside the field of science, as said Barry G. Firkin, a professor from Monash University.

Her notes from her trip to India wrote about a society where social class deeply determined health. While female textile workers suffered from anemia, those middle upper-class women didn’t since they had more diverse diets. This, according to Firkin, strengthened her concern for social issues.

Her anti-establishment tendencies started to show themselves more. After World War II, she established a department for hematology at the Royal Free Hospital. She went to work every day on her bicycle.

Firkin, who is also a skier and mountain climber, said that Wills’ commitment to cycling was a symbol for her dedication to outdoor exercise as well as the environment. Dr. Daphne Roe, Wills’ student, talked about Will’s bike-riding as the one factor emphasizing her difference from other physicians.

In 1978, she wrote:

In 1947, Wills retired from her position at the Royal Free Hospital. Before her death, Wills worked as the Chelsea councilor of the British Labor party. There are not many records about her political career.

However, in her obituary which could be found in the British Medical Journal, it is stated that Wills had a strong belief in social questions and felt impatient with half-baked opinions and laziness.

This year, Google decided to celebrate Lucy Wills' 131st birthday, the scientist who made a critical finding for maternal health.