Walter L. Mallmann papers

Record Group

Identifier: UA-17.34

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the speech presenting Walter Mallmann with the Michigan Public Health Association Distinguished Service Award. Also included is the transcript and audio reels of four oral history interviews conducted by Vergil Noble for a history class at Michigan State University. In the first interview Mallmann discussed his family and life growing up in Escanaba. The second interview covers Mallmann's years as a student at Michigan Agricultural College. He talks about his classes, professors, buildings, and the effect of World War I on campus. He also gives a detailed account of the Engineering Building fire in 1916. The third interview included discussion of the sit-down strikes in Lansing, the influenza epidemic during World War I, his work in public health, brucella outbreak at Michigan State, and the college presidents. The final interview covers Mallmann's professional research.

The bulk of the Mallmann papers consists of data, articles, presentations, reports, correspondence and other materials from his bacteriology research. Topics include dishwashing (by hand and machine), sterilization of beverage glasses, bottles, and utensils, personal hygiene, water purity, pollution, and treatment, sewage treatment, drinking fountains, swimming pools, and vending machines. Also included is Mallmann's research on veterinary medicine topics, such as brucella, tuberculosis, and salmonella.

Dates

Creation: 1913 - 1981

Creator

Noble, Vergil E. (Interviewer, Person)
Mallmann, Walter LeRoy, 1895- (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Biographical Note

Walter LeRoy Mallmann was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 29, 1895. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Escanaba, Michigan. He graduated from Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) in 1918 with a bachelor of science degree, and joined the faculty the same year. Mallmann's field of study was microbiology and public health. He continued his education while teaching, first receiving a master of science degree from M.A.C. in 1924, then a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1931.

Mallmann was married to Virginia H. Mallmann, who was also a professor of microbiology at Michigan State. Together they headed a research team that studied tuberculosis. Mallmann was also known for his early work on sanitation, specifically the spread of water- and food-borne diseases. He retired from Michigan State in 1966. MSU awarded Mallmann an honorary doctor of science degree in 1970. Mallmann died on February 25, 1987.