Obituary

(Photo courtesy Block Family)

Born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1911, Block received his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Dayton and his master's and doctoral degrees from U-M in 1938.

From 1939-44, he served as an instructor in the Department of Biological Chemistry of the Medical School and as a research associate in the Rackham Arthritis Research Unit. He went on to become an assistant professor of biological chemistry in the Department of Dermatology, and in 1967 he joined the faculty of SPH, where he taught until his retirement in 1982. From 1970-76, Block was chair of the Nutritional Science Program in the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies.

Throughout his career, he served as a consultant and adviser to clinical and research laboratories in Michigan and Indiana. During the late 1940s he was a commercial biochemical consultant for Viobin Corp. in Springfield, Ohio.

His many research interests included protein-calorie malnutrition, the role of standardized exercise on tissue-lipid distribution, triglyceride and carbohydrate metabolism in normal adults and in patients with coronary heart disease, and biochemical studies related to the renowned Tecumseh (Michigan) Community Health Survey.

He was the author or co-author of more than 250 scientific publications and several books, including the first textbook on the treatment of arthritis with gold salts, and a genetic study on amyloidosis in the Amish population of Bluffton, Ind.

"His contribution to the field of nutrition was significant," says Anita Sandretto, assistant dean for academic affairs at SPH, who studied with Block in the 1960s. "Through his work on the Tecumseh Survey, Walter began looking at total cholesterol levels. He was a forerunner in this area of research and did pathbreaking work in blood-lipid analysis. He implemented an extremely good quality-control system in his labs, and as a result, obtained consistently reliable results. As a teacher and a scientist, Walter was very thorough, and he set high standards for students."

Block is survived by his wife, Thelma; his daughter, Mimi Block; his son, Robert Block; and two grandchildren. Gifts in memory of Block may be made to the School of Public Health.

—Submitted by Leslie Stainton, SPH