142 CLINICAL RADIOLOGY

Obituary

LEO. G. RIGLER, MD

With the death of Leo Rigler world medicine and radiology in particular has lost one of its great father figures. We all greatly mourn his sudden death.

Leo Rigler was born and educated in Minneapolis and received his doctorate of medicine from Minnesota. At first he did some general practice in North Dakota and then returned to Minneapolis to start his training in internal medicine and pathology. After a short period he was asked to develop an X-ray diagnostic service at the University of Minnesota and this he did with zest. His department developed into a model academic radiological unit, from which a large number of distinguished radiologists have qualified, many of them well-known names in academic radiology in the United States.

Dr Rigler gave up the chairmanship in Minnesota in 1957 to take on a new career as Director of Education and Executive Director of the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles, where he became Executive Director of the Medical Centre in 1961. From this post he retired in 1963, to start yet a third career as Professor of Radiology and Director of the Residency Training Programme at UCLA.

Leo Rigler was the doyen of American radiology, his contributions to the subject were immense as a teacher, a clinical researcher and also as an academic administrator. Many of his scientific publications in radiology related to the chest provide us with fundamental knowledge which will go down as keystones in our annals.

As a member of the Fleischner Society he was one of the most regular attenders and contributors who gave this rela. tively young multi-disciplinary scientific body a splendid example of purpose and direction. For this he will alwaysbe remembered by his colleagues.

But this is only part of the man, his family came first in his life. I well remember the happy few days I recently spent with Leo Rigler and his wife Matyld in Minneapolis at the last Rigler Postgraduate Course held in that city, where very special tributes were paid to him for what he had done for medicine in his own university, and how proud he was of his wife's support in this work. Similarly many years ago, when Leo Rigler got the Honorary Fellowship of our College, he was accompanied on that occasion by his young grand- daughter, how delighted he was with this young lady when she partnered him at all functions. The honours bestowed upon Leo Rigler were legion, not only in his own country but world wide.

He always expressed his strong concern for his family, that of his colleagues and patients, thus providing a splendid example of his humanity and warm-heartedness, which were really his strongest attributes.

To Matyld and his family we extend our deepest sympathy.

R.E.S.