Finding aid for the Richard L. Meiling, MD Papers

Biography of Richard L. Meiling

Richard Lewis Meiling was born on December 21, 1908 in Springfield, Ohio. He attended Springfield Public Schools and Springfield High School from 1914 - 1926. He completed his baccalaureate education at Wittenberg University. After completing his medical education at the University of Munich, Germany where he received his degree with honors in 1937, he came to The Ohio State University Hospital in February of 1938, serving on the surgical service of Dr. Verne Dodd, Dr. Russel Means, and Dr. Henry LeFever until June 30, 1938. Meiling married Ann Elizabeth Lucas in 1940; and they had one son, George Robert Lucas Meiling. Meiling continued his graduate studies in Pathology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at Western Reserve University Hospital in Cleveland; served from 1940-1946 on active duty with the U.S. Army and the U.S. Army Air Forces; completed his work at Western Reserve in June 1947, at which time he came to Ohio State as an Assistant Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology and an Instructor in Pathology. A call to serve, first with the Hoover Commission on National Security, and then as a consultant to the Secretary of Defense in 1948 resulted in Dr. Meiling taking a two-year leave of absence from July 1949 to June 1951 to serve as Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Director of Medical Services, and Chairman of the Armed Forces Medical Policy Advisory Council, all of the Department of Defense. On July 1, 1951, he returned to The Ohio State University as Associate Dean of the College of Medicine, Associate Director of University Hospital, and Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 1953 he was promoted to Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and continued his appointment in the Department of Pathology. In 1957 he was appointed to additional duties as Professor of Preventive Medicine inasmuch as he was the only member of our faculty at this time who was Board Certified in Preventive Medicine (Aviation and Space Medicine). In 1967 he was given as additional appointment as Professor in the School of Allied Medical Professions in the area of Hospital and Health Services Administration. On January 1, 1961, he began his duties as Dean of the College of Medicine and as Director of the University Hospitals, continuing his several professorships and teaching responsibilities at the same time. He continued in this position until September 10, 1970, when he was appointed Vice President for Medical Affairs, the first to hold this position at The Ohio State University. He continued to serve in this position and in his faculty positions until retirement. During his administrative association with The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Meiling participated in the re-establishment and continued maintenance of full accreditation for the College after 16 years of probation from 1936-1952. He saw the faculty grow from approximately 220 members to 1200 members. During this same administrative period the College developed departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pharmacology, Medical Microbiology, Anesthesiology, and the School of Allied Medical Professions. The College also developed a Division of Research in Medical Education within the Dean’s Office; the Pilot School, which led to Independent Study Programs; the “reorganized” medical curriculum which enabled students to acquire their doctorate of medicine in 36 months’ continuous study; a Center for Continuing Medical Education, with the Ohio Medical Education Network extending to community hospitals in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Indiana; the development of the Ohio State Regional Medical Program; the University Mental Retardation Program, and the University Cancer Research and Therapy Center; as well as the University Laboratory Animal Center. The administration in which Meiling participated and gave leadership was successful in receiving support of the State Legislature and the Governor leading to the acquisition of Upham, Dodd, and Means Hall; the expansion of the University Hospital in the North Wing; the expansion of Wiseman Hall and Dodd Hall; the remodeling of Hamilton and Starling Loving Halls; and the construction involving Newton Hall, Graves Hall, McCampbell Hall, the Health Sciences Library, the College of Medicine Administration Building (The Ohio State University Board of Trustees on September 7, 1984 changed the name of this building to Richard Lewis Meiling Hall), and the University Laboratory Animal Center. Believing that the scholarly community should recognize its heritage and understand its obligation of citizenship, Meiling guided the development of the “crests” for the College, the Hospitals, the Hospital Society, the School of Nursing, and the School of Allied Medical Professions. He also wrote the initial program for the Farbigem stained glass murals located in what is now commonly known as Meiling Hall which portrays the heritage of medicine on the earth planet and how medicine finally reached the moon planet; as well as the development of medicine in the Western Hemisphere from the time of Columbus until its present evolvement on The Ohio State University campus. In 1963 a significant step in the advancement of the College of Medicine was accomplished when Meiling succeeded in influencing the Administration and the Board of Trustees to establish the first “named chairs” in the University. Meiling found time to serve on various committees of the University and the State, including the Governor’s Task Force on Education Beyond the High School; the Governor’s Task Force on Comprehensive Health Planning; Regional Medical Programs; the University Advisory Commission on Problems Facing Columbus School; the Ohio Transportation Center Research Advisory Council; the University Patent Committee; the Faculty Council; and others. Nationally, Meiling was elected a member of the governing body of the American Medical Association and served for more than 20 years. He served as Treasurer and President of the Ohio State Medical Association. He served on many committees of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (he was a founding fellow of this latter organization). He entered the military forces as a “Flying Cadet” and rose to the rank of Major General in the U.S. Air Force retiring in 1968 after more than 30 years in the reserve forces. He has served in advisory positions with the American National Red Cross, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Federal Civil Defense Administration, and the Health Advisory Council of the U. S. Appalachian Commission, and on committees and councils of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Meiling was Board-Certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Preventive Medicine (Aviation Medicine). He was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons; the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; and the Aerospace Medical Association. Meiling conducted and published original medical and scientific work in the use of Vitamin C, the application of radioactive Cobalt-60, in Maternal Mortality Studies, and in the “air evacuation” of military patients. His interest in medical education led to invitations to consult with several foreign governments, foreign facilities, and many overseas medical groups. Meiling passed away December 14, 1984.

Scope and Content

The Richard L. Meiling, MD Papers (approximately 10 linear feet) is material about Meiling including his professional careers and his personal life.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

The collection is open to the public and is available for viewing in the Medical Heritage Center. Materials do not circulate and must be used in the supervised reading room. Restrictions, including copyright, may exist and some materials may be too fragile to photocopy or digitize. The MHC charges for duplication services, which must be performed by staff.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Richard L. Meiling, MD Papers, Spec.199823.Meiling, Medical Heritage Center, Health Sciences Library, The Ohio State University.

Other Finding Aid

https://hsl.osu.edu/sites/default/files/Spec199823Meiling_1.pdf

Detailed Description of The Collection