Frances McConnell-Mills
Frances Mary McConnell-Mills (July 9, 1900 – December 28, 1975) was an American toxicologist. She was the first woman to be appointed Denver's city toxicologist, the first female toxicologist in the Rocky Mountains, and probably the first female forensic pathologist in the United States.
Frances McConnell-Mills | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frances Mary McConnell July 9, 1900 Monument, Colorado |
| Died | December 28, 1975 (aged 75) |
| Other names | Frances McConnell |
| Education | University of Denver; University of Colorado Denver |
| Medical career | |
| Profession | Physician |
| Field | Toxicology |
| Institutions | Denver General Hospital St. Luke's Hospital |
| Sub-specialties | Forensic pathology |
| Research | Passive immunity |
McConnell was raised in Colorado and after studying chemistry she became a high school teacher. She later attended medical school at the University of Colorado Denver, graduating in 1925. She specialized in the fields of toxicology and forensic pathology, which led her to testify in many high-profile criminal cases throughout her career. In addition to working as Denver's city toxicologist, she held positions in multiple hospitals and administrative boards. After battling lifelong health problems, including rheumatic heart disease and a leg amputation, McConnell died in 1975. She was posthumously inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame.