	South Australian Medical Heritage Society Inc Website for the Virtual Museum
Home Coming meetings Past meetings About the Society Galleries of the Virtual Museum Main Galleries Medicine Surgery Anaesthesia X-rays Hospitals,other organisations Individuals of note Small Galleries Dentistry Nursing Ethnic medicine - Aboriginal - Chinese - Mediterran	Sir Clarence Rieger CBE, LLD, MB BS, FRCS, FRACS, FACMA [1897-1978] Clarence Rieger in later years. Sir Clarence Rieger CBE, LLD, MB BS, FRCS, FRACS, FACMA was the son of Oscar Rieger, whose parents were immigrants from Germany, and Italian-born Sarina Ferrero. Educated in state schools, he was awarded a government bursary and graduated in medicine at Adelaide University. After working as a Resident Medical Officer at the Adelaide Hospital in 1920, Rieger became Acting Medical Superintendent at Broken Hill Hospital and then entered general practice in Zeehan, Tasmania. In 1923 Rieger married Bessie Main and went on to have three children including Tony who followed in his father's footsteps and became a surgeon, as later did his grandson Nicholas. At the end of 1925 Rieger moved to the Eyre Peninsula, leaving in 1931 to work and study in England. He returned in 1934 and became an Adelaide suburban general practitioner with a special interest in surgery, and was an Honorary Surgeon at the Adelaide Children's Hospital. In WW2 he joined Second AIF, serving from 1942 to 1946 and working as a specialist surgeon, including two periods in New Guinea, with the rank of Major. At war's end Clarence Rieger resumed his position at the Adelaide Children's Hospital and in 1958 he became President of the hospital and Chairman of the Board of Management. His outstanding service was recognised in the naming of a new wing built in 1964 'The Clarence Rieger Building'. Always active within the BMA (which in 1962 became the AMA), Rieger became president of the South Australian branch from 1949 to 1951, unusually serving two consecutive years. He was just the second president, after Matthias Erichsen (1939-1940), not to have British ancestry. In 1967 Rieger was elected President of the Australian Federal AMA and in 1968 President of the BMA (U.K.) – the only Australian to have achieved this distinction. The highest honour the AMA can award, its Gold Medal, was bestowed upon him. Other achievements included leadership roles in the Mutual Hospital Association, the Blue Cross Medical Benefits Funds, the Commonwealth Health Insurance Council, the Voluntary Health Insurance Council of Australia, the Medical Defence Association of South Australia and the Medical Board of South Australia. In 1962 the first Australian Medical Congress was held in Adelaide and Clarence Rieger was chosen as President. He was described as 'the prince of committee men'. Amongst publications attributed to Rieger, and showing his interest in medical history, is "Life and Times of William Gosse" (the first president 1879-80 of AMA SA) in the MJA. PK -o0o-

South Australian Medical Heritage Society Inc

Website for the Virtual Museum

Home
Coming meetings
Past meetings
About the Society

Galleries of the Virtual Museum

Main Galleries

Medicine
Surgery
Anaesthesia
X-rays
Hospitals,other organisations
Individuals of note

Small Galleries

Dentistry
Nursing

Ethnic medicine
     - Aboriginal
     - Chinese
     - Mediterran

Sir Clarence Rieger CBE, LLD, MB BS, FRCS, FRACS, FACMA [1897-1978]

Clarence Rieger in later years.

Sir Clarence Rieger CBE, LLD, MB BS, FRCS, FRACS, FACMA was the son of Oscar Rieger, whose parents were immigrants from Germany, and Italian-born Sarina Ferrero. Educated in state schools, he was awarded a government bursary and graduated in medicine at Adelaide University.

After working as a Resident Medical Officer at the Adelaide Hospital in 1920, Rieger became Acting Medical Superintendent at Broken Hill Hospital and then entered general practice in Zeehan, Tasmania.

In 1923 Rieger married Bessie Main and went on to have three children including Tony who followed in his father's footsteps and became a surgeon, as later did his grandson Nicholas.

At the end of 1925 Rieger moved to the Eyre Peninsula, leaving in 1931 to work and study in England. He returned in 1934 and became an Adelaide suburban general practitioner with a special interest in surgery, and was an Honorary Surgeon at the Adelaide Children's Hospital.

In WW2 he joined Second AIF, serving from 1942 to 1946 and working as a specialist surgeon, including two periods in New Guinea, with the rank of Major.

At war's end Clarence Rieger resumed his position at the Adelaide Children's Hospital and in 1958 he became President of the hospital and Chairman of the Board of Management. His outstanding service was recognised in the naming of a new wing built in 1964 'The Clarence Rieger Building'.

Always active within the BMA (which in 1962 became the AMA), Rieger became president of the South Australian branch from 1949 to 1951, unusually serving two consecutive years. He was just the second president, after Matthias Erichsen (1939-1940), not to have British ancestry. In 1967 Rieger was elected President of the Australian Federal AMA and in 1968 President of the BMA (U.K.) – the only Australian to have achieved this distinction. The highest honour the AMA can award, its Gold Medal, was bestowed upon him.

Other achievements included leadership roles in the Mutual Hospital Association, the Blue Cross Medical Benefits Funds, the Commonwealth Health Insurance Council, the Voluntary Health Insurance Council of Australia, the Medical Defence Association of South Australia and the Medical Board of South Australia. In 1962 the first Australian Medical Congress was held in Adelaide and Clarence Rieger was chosen as President. He was described as 'the prince of committee men'. Amongst publications attributed to Rieger, and showing his interest in medical history, is "Life and Times of William Gosse" (the first president 1879-80 of AMA SA) in the MJA.

-o0o-