Leo G. Rigler, M.D.—An Appreciation

Abstract

Over one hundred friends of Leo G. Rigler gathered at a special dinner in Minneapolis, Dec. 9, 1944, to wish him well. The occasion was the fall meeting of the Minnesota Radiological Society, and the guest speaker was Fred J. Hodges, Professor of Roentgenology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Walter J. Ude, representing the Minnesota Radiological Society and friends of the honored guest, gave a sum of $10,000 to the University of Minnesota to establish the Leo G. Rigler Lectureship in Radiology. This was accepted by Dean H. S. Diehl. Speakers were Robert G. Allison, George E. Fahr, E. T. Bell, and others. For some time the radiologists have wanted to express to Doctor Rigler their appreciation of his untiring efforts in their behalf. When his friends in other branches of medicine heard of this proposal, they too wanted to help, and the sum accumulated so rapidly that it quickly reached the desired amount. Leo George Rigler was born Oct. 6, 1896, in Minneapolis. He attended the University of Minnesota, from which he received his M.D. in 1920. Following an internship in St. Louis City Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, and practice in North Dakota, he was named teaching fellow in Internal Medicine, University of Minnesota (1921–22). The following year he was appointed Roentgenologist at Minneapolis General Hospital. He was named Associate Professor of Radiology in the University of Minnesota in 1927, and Professor in 1929. In 1935 he became chief of the department and has served in that capacity to date. In 1930 the State Board of Institutions made him a consultant. In 1941 the Minneapolis General Hospital named him chief of the Department of Roentgenology. Prior to accepting the departmental appointment, Doctor Rigler completed his studies in Europe, spending most of his time with Professor Forssell in Sweden. Here he also learned to speak Swedish. Doctor Rigler is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, Sigma Xi, American Medical Association, Hennepin County Medical Society, Minnesota State Medical Association, Minneapolis Academy of Medicine, Minnesota Academy of Medicine, American Roentgen Ray Society, Radiological Society of North America, Minnesota Radiologic Society, American College of Radiology (fellow), American Association of Thoracic Surgery and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is the author of Outline of Roentgen Diagnosis, which went into a second edition in 1943, and of many scientific reports. He is active on the Publication Committee for Radiology. As long as any of us can remember, Leo Rigler has been doing things for other people. The list is long and impressive. He has arranged and organized departmental conferences with most of the other departments in the hospital, as well as with the preclinical branches. He is always ready and willing to speak at medical gatherings and to teach special courses at the Center for Continuation Study.