Hektoen, Ludvig, 1863-1951

Undergraduate degree, Luther College, 1883. M.D., College of Physicians and Surgeons, Chicago, Ill., 1887. Intern, Cook County Hospital. Professor, College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1892-1894. Professor of Pathology, Rush Medical College, 1895-1933. Director, John McCormick Institute for Infectious Diseases, Chicago, 1902-1939. Founder and editor, Journal of Infectious Diseases. Editor, Archives of Pathology,1926.

Pathologist, professor, and researcher Ludvig Hektoen, 1863-1951, was born in Westby, Wisc. In 1887, he graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago, Ill. Hektoen served in many roles at Cook County Hospital, Rush Medical College, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the University of Chicago as pathologist and professor of pathology and anatomy. Hektoen served as director of the John McCormick Institute for Infectious Diseases from 1902 to 1942, which he helped found with James Herrick and Frank Billings. Hektoen served as president for many professional organizations and founded the Journal of Infectious Diseases in 1904. He also conducted research and wrote about a variety of topics, including infectious diseases, bacteriology, immunology, blood cultures, and cancer. The papers of Ludvig Hektoen, 1897-1952, consist of biographical material including bibliographies, biographical sketches, obituaries, and clippings; letters to and from Hektoen; writings by and about Hektoen; and other material, including a dinner program from a dinner held in honor of the anniversary of Hektoen's graduation, 1912.

Ludvig Hektoen was born on July 2 1863 in Vernon County, Wisconsin, to P. and Olava Hektoen. He attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa between 1877 and 1883, when he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. Between 1883 and 1884 he studied pre-medicine at the University of Wisconsin. He then studied at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago until he graduated with an MD in 1887 as valedictorian of his class.

Between 1887 and 1889 Hektoen interned at Cook County Hospital, and then between 1889 and 1891 held positions as the curator of the Museum of Rush Medical College and as the registrar of Cook County Hospital. In 1891 he was appointed professor of pathology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons. In the same year, he married Ellen Strandh. In 1894, Hektoen was appointed professor of morbid anatomy at Rush Medical College, a position he held until 1933. From 1901 until 1932 he was also professor and head of the department of pathology at the University of Chicago.

Throughout his career, Hektoen served on a number of professional boards: Director of the John McCormick Institute for Infectious Diseases from its founding in 1902 until 1937; Chairman of the Committee on Scientific Research for the AMA in 1915; Chairman of the Chicago Medical Society from 1919 to 1921; Chairman of the Division of Medical Sciences of the National Research Council in 1924, 1926 and 1929; member of the National Advisory Health Council of the U.S. Public Health Service from 1932 until 1937. He was editor of The Journal of Infectious Diseases from its founding in 1904 until 1941.

Hektoen died July 5, 1951 in Chicago.