Rufus I. Cole

The age-old study of medicine moved into that of medical science in the early years of the twentieth century. This implies clinical investigation, the study of bacteria and blood cultures within the hospital during the actual progress of a disease: in layman’s terms “bringing research to the bed side.” Dr. Cole was a pioneer in this procedure which has now become commonplace and, as a first ground for its experimentation, founded with the aid of the late John D. Rockefeller a specially designed hospital which became part of the Rockefeller Institute. In this hospital wards and laboratories were placed in proximity so that scientific tests could be performed on patients during the course of illness. On the basis of such clinical evidence truly scientific therapy—especially the development and administration of sera could be carried out without delay.

Dr. Cole’s specific interest was pneumonia; the virtual disappearance of certain types of this disease can be attributed to his accomplishment and that of the associates working under his direction.

One of Rufus Cole’s hospital innovations was the custom among doctors, now universal, of wearing white coats on their rounds. Before he appeared in this professional garb it was the custom for physicians to visit hospital patients in frock coats or cutaways, which must have suggested the grim thought that they were on their way to a funeral.

Rufus Cole was born in Rowsburg, Ohio, in 1872. He took his B.S. at the University of Michigan in 1896 and his M.D. at Johns Hopkins three years later. He began his medical career as resident physician at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and, in 1909, became director of the Rockefeller Institute Hospital in New York. During his directorship, in spite of the burden of administrative duties, he was able to carry out a thorough study of lobar pneumonia. He and his coworkers at the Institute Hospital engaged in the practical production of serum and its clinical administration. Dr. Cole retired in 1937 but continued in various consultant activities. His teaching always had an impressive impact on young medical students and more than eighty of them went on to hold senior positions in universities and scientific institutions in the United States and abroad. He received a citation from the National Academy of Sciences which nominated him for the Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal. He died, however, shortly before he could receive the award.

Like so many Centurion physicians, Rufus Cole believed that medical doctors should have many varied interests including explorations into the arts. He himself wrote a two volume book: Human History 17th Century and the Stuart Family, published in 1959.

Rufus Cole was a senior member of The Century, having been a Centurion for fifty-three of his ninety-four [sic: ninety-three] years.

Roger Burlingame
1967 Century Association Yearbook