Peter R. Dallman ’51

Peter R. Dallman ’51, M.D., died in San Francisco on August 20, 2015, after a distinguished career as a medical researcher and professor, with a special interest in nutrition and the prevention of nutritional anemias. In retirement Peter’s remarkably wide-ranging interests led to his becoming a docent at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum and the San Francisco Botanical Garden. He wrote a book, Plant Life in the World’s Mediterranean Climates, published by University of California Press and Oxford University Press. Peter’s route to Dartmouth was likewise untypical. Born in Berlin, he came to the United States at the age of 8 as a refugee. At Dartmouth he was a chemistry-zoology major, an active member of the Outing Club and secretary of the German Club and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He attended Dartmouth Medical School for two years and received his M.D. in 1954 from Harvard. His research focused on the role of iron in development, in which he took great satisfaction because his knowledge could be applied at the public health level. He was involved in many studies on pediatric iron nutrition in the areas of dietary iron deficiency. His problem-solving in this field leveraged his broad interests in culture and history as well as biology. Peter is remembered by his family and friends from all parts of the world for his humor, dignity and interest in life. He is survived by his wife, Mary, a professor of physiology, two daughters and four grandchildren.