1918 – 2001
Harvey Blank was one of the premier dermatologists of the last half of the twentieth century. He is renowned for his clinical acumen and his ability to treat patients effectively with simple methods.
Born an only child in Chicago, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1939 and his Doctor of Medicine in 1942, both from the University of Chicago. Stephen Rothman was an early role model during his years as a medical student.
During World War II, Dr. Blank served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946, where he practiced dermatology without any formal training. In the military, he met and was influenced by many physicians, one of whom (Clarence Livingood) recommended he be trained in dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his residency at Pennsylvania under Donald Pillsbury.
In 1956 he founded the Department of Dermatology at the University of Miami and became its first chairman. During the next 30 years he trained 133 dermatology residents. More than a dozen of his trainees and junior faculty became department chairs.
Dr. Blank’s contributions are immense. He produced the first electron micrographs of the varicella and zoster viruses showing them to the morphologically identical. He had a significant role in developing a number of drugs including topical nystatin and the first halogenated steroid ointment. Dr. Blank and a counterpart in the UK, Dr. David Williams, played crucial roles in the clinical development and validation of griseofulvin as an effective oral antifungal treatment. He also described, with Imrich Sarkany and David Taplin, the causative agent of erythrasma.
Dr. Blank was a recipient of numerous awards and accolades including the Gold Medal from the American Academy of Dermatology, and the Stephen Rothman Gold Medal from the Society of Investigative Dermatology.
Persistent back pain forced him to retire from active practice in 1988. He died in 2001. He will be remembered as a clinical and investigative dermatologist who made important observations and discoveries. More importantly, he was a mentor to many future leaders in dermatology, emphasizing critical thinking and objectivity.
