Hocken Digital Collections

Bell, Muriel, Dr : Papers

Details

Reference NumberMS-0462Datec.1911-1974CreatorBell, Muriel Emma, Dr, 1898-1974DescriptionThe collection includes publications, articles and research papers relating to nutrition, including material written by Bell. There is particular emphasis on areas such as milk, fish oils, diabetes, cholesterol and fatty acids. The papers also contain material relating to the Nutrition Committee of the Medical Research Council including minutes, correspondence, history and reports. Personal papers consist of transcripts of interviews with Bell and material relating to her Honorary Doctorate, CBE and other honours.
Only a small part of this collection is digitised and available through Digital Collections. Information about other items can be found on the Hākena catalogue, through the Library Catalogues link above.History / BiographyMuriel Bell was born in Murchison in 1898. She attended Nelson Girls College and in 1917 enrolled at the University of Otago, completing her MBChB in 1922. In 1926 she gained an MD, the only woman in New Zealand to hold the degree at the time. In 1928 she married James Saunders. In 1929 Bell was awarded the William Gibson Research Scholarship for Medical Women of the British Empire. This allowed her to travel to London to undertake research on vitamins with the nutritionist Professor Jack Drummond at University College from 1930 to 1932. They remained in England, where Bell worked as a pathologist, including one year at a hospital run by women, the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital. In 1935 the couple returned to Dunedin so that Bell could take up a lectureship in physiology and experimental pharmacology at Otago Medical School. In 1940 her husband died. That same year the Labour government appointed Bell as the first nutrition officer in the Department of Health. From this point until her retirement in 1964 she held two posts simultaneously, director of nutrition research at the Otago Medical School and state nutritionist. In 1942 she married Alfred Ernest Hefford. For many years Muriel Bell was active in numerous campaigns to improve people's health and well-being by improving their diet. Bell's forte was applied research into subjects of practical everyday importance, such as the vitamin content of New Zealand fruit, vegetables, fish and cereals. One of her many goals was a safe, cheap milk supply. For the rest of her life she worked to advertise the benefits of drinking milk, 'our best single food'. Dr Bell died in Dunedin on 2 May 1974 (from 'The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography').

Photograph

Dr Muriel Bell at unknown function

Muriel Bell

Group of five, including Dr Muriel Bell

Muriel Bell

Depicts Or Relates To

NamesBell, Muriel Emma, Dr, 1898-1974PlacesDunedinSubjectsUniversity of Otago - PeopleNutrition - ResearchScientistsWomenDoctors

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Bell, Muriel, Dr : Papers

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