Ruth Filby Skelton (d. 1980) was a British biologist who was one of the first women elected to the

Physiological Society The Physiological Society, founded in 1876, is an international learned society for physiologists with headquarters in the United Kingdom and Ireland. History The Physiological Society was founded in 1876 as a dining society "for mutual benefit ...

in 1915.

Life

Skelton earned a BsC from

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

. She was active in the Chelsea Physical Training College Old Students' Association in the 1900s and 1910s. In 1915, when the Physiological Society had voted to admit women, Skelton was proposed for membership by Jospeh Barcroft along with Florence Buchanan,

Winifred Cullis Winifred Cullis (2 June 1875 – 13 November 1956) was a physiologist and academic, and the first woman to hold a professorial chair at a medical school. Early life and education Born in Gloucester, Winifred was the youngest daughter of the ...

, Enid Tribe,

Constance Leetham Constance Leetham (1888–1983) was a British physiologist who was one of the first women to be admitted to the The Physiological Society, Physiological Society. Life She was the second of three daughters of miller Henry Ernest Leetham of Dring ...

, and S.C.M. Sowton. Skelton’s first paper with the ''Journal of Physiology'' came in 1921. By that time, she had made several publications about her work at the Lister Institute of Preventative Medicine. She studied urine production and the prevention of scurvy there. One of her notable contributions was a collaboration with

Harriette Chick Dame Harriette Chick DBE (6 January 1875 – 9 July 1977) was a British microbiologist, protein scientist, and nutritionist. She is best remembered for demonstrating the roles of sunlight and cod liver oil in preventing rickets. She also great ...

in which they used guinea pigs to determine the antiscorbutic properties of foods.

References

{{reflist 1980 deaths Alumni of University College London 20th-century British women scientists Women physiologists