In terms of family, Caldwell had no children, but she enjoyed the company of her nieces and nephews. Although Caldwell was confined to a wheelchair by 1960, the highest point of her life occurred when she became the recipient of the Garvan Medal. The Garvan Medal is awarded by the American Chemical Society. The Garvan Medal distinguishes women who have contributed service to the field of Chemistry. An enzyme is a chemical found in living things that makes reactions in life speed up or slow down.
Enzymes are also responsible for breaking large polymers into smaller molecules.
In developing a better way to purify pancreatic amylase, carbohydrates were more easily broken into sugar. Carbohydrates are made up of glucose that is bonded. During reactions, amylase allows the bonds to break making individual glucose molecules. Below is an illustration of Carbohydrates broken down by amylase enzyme to form Glucose. Although Mary Letitia Caldwell was born in a time where society did not have high academic expectations for women, she was able to contribute significantly to the field of Chemistry.