Roddis, Louis H. (Louis Harry), 1886-

Captain Louis Harry Roddis, 1886- , served as a surgeon in the U.S. Navy from 1913 until his retirement in 1950. He was primarily interested in tropical medicine. Roddis also wrote Edward Jenner and the discovery of the smallpox vaccination (1930), William Withering: the introduction of digitalis into medical practice (1936), Short history of nautical medicine (1941), and James Lind, founder of nautical medicine (1950).

Louis Harry Roddis was born in Cherokee County, Iowa on 16 February 1886 to Henry Roddis and Clara Eva Roddis. He was educated in Osakis, Minnesota and later received both a Bachelor of Science and Medical Doctorate from the University of Minnesota. Upon completion of his medical degree, Roddis entered the United States Navy, in which he served for nearly 37 years and attained the rank of Captain. During his Naval career, Roddis distinguished himself as both a doctor and a naval historian. His military record includes: Mexican Campaign (1914); lecturer of naval medicine, Naval Medical School (1933-1937); Executive Officer of the U. S. Naval Hospital at Pearl Harbor (1937-1939); recipient of the Sir Henry Wellcome Prize for Military Medicine (1943); Senior Medical Officer, USS Relief (Letter of Commendation, 1944); and three-time Editor of Naval Medical Bulletin. Roddis was also a prolific author of both articles and books on subjects such as naval history, naval medicine, medical history, and poetry. Roddis died on 19 October 1969 and was survived by his wife, Winifred Emily Stiles Roddis, and two sons, Louis H. Roddis Jr. and Richard S. L. Roddis.