Shetland-born Sir Douglas Black was professor of medicine at Manchester University.
He was one of a group of prominent Scottish doctors – which included Sir John Brotherston, Archie Cochrane, Sir Dugald Baird, Sir John Crofton, David Player and James Petrie – who challenged complacency in whatever form – denying the link between poverty and ill- health or recognising that medicine should be based on objective evidence of trials.
Deprivation and health came back on the agenda in 1991 with a landmark study by Vera Carstairs which showed neighbouring areas of Glasgow with the highest and lowest life expectancy in Scotland.