[ back ]
BRIGGS, DR. RUSSELL CHAMBERLIN
BRIGGS, DR. RUSSELL CHAMBERLIN, of Portland, Maine, passed away at home on January 21. He was born on March 13, 1932, in Montpelier, the son of Raymond Alonzo Briggs and Carolyn Chamberlin Briggs. He was a graduate of Burlington High School and Middlebury College, class of 1954. Russell earned his Doctor of Medicine from the Albany Medical College of Union University in 1958. Following his internship at the Albany (N.Y.) Hospital, he completed his residency program in radiology at the University of Vermont hospitals. He served as radiologist at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base Hospital in Groton, Conn., from 1962-1964 and was discharged with the rank of lieutenant commander. The years 1964-1968 found him on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin Medical School as assistant professor and director of the Division of Nuclear Medicine. Russ produced some of the early clinical studies of bone scanning using the isotopes strontium-85, strontium-87m and fluorine-18. His paper documenting the spread of cancer to the bony skeleton, published in the journal Cancer in March 1967, drew international attention to the use of bone scanning in the planning of cancer treatment. Russ joined the staff of Maine Medical Center in 1968 and continued there until his retirement in 1994. He served as director of the Division of Nuclear Medicine during this period and as chief of the Department of Radiology from 1987-1989. He held teaching appointments at Tufts University Medical School and UVM College of Medicine. He was a fellow of the American College of Radiology and held memberships in the Assoc. of University Radiologists, Radiological Society of North America, Society of Nuclear Medicine, New England Roentgen Ray Society, American Medical Assoc., Maine Medical Assoc. and Cumberland County Medical Society. He was particularly active in the Society of Nuclear Medicine, serving on the Executive Committee from 1974-1976, and as a national vice president in 1975. He was president of the New England Chapter of the Society of Nuclear Medicine in 1972-73 and a member of the Commission on Nuclear Medicine of the American College of Radiology from 1973-1981. Russ was a diplomate of both the American Board of Nuclear Medicine and the American Board of Radiology for whom he served as an examiner from 1975-1994. Russ authored 24 scientific papers and edited two publications for the American College of Radiology. He was a member of the editorial board of the journal Radiographics and served as a scientific referee for the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association and the journal Radiology. From 1994 to 2004, he was a member of the Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners for the state of Maine. Russ particularly enjoyed his time as teacher and mentor for the continuous stream of residents and medical students who passed through the training programs at the Maine Medical Center. The Russell C. Briggs Award for Teaching was established at the time of his retirement. In 1961, Russ married his beloved wife, Barbara McKnight. Russ was particularly proud of his five children and their many, varied accomplishments and activities. Russ always said that the happiest week of his life was spent with Barbara, their children and grandchildren in Vermont. Russ enjoyed a long and happy retirement. He produced a houseful of colored pencil drawings which he loved to give to family and friends. Many happy hours were spent with the senior golf group at Falmouth Country Club. A remembrance of Russ would need to include his affection for his dogs, Polly I, Polly II and Bantey. Russ was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Raymond Jr. and John Briggs. In addition to Barbara, he is survived by daughters Katherine Dowling (Christopher), of Freeport, Maine and Elizabeth Christensen (Andrew), of Cumberland, Maine; sons Thomas (Karen), of Charlotte, N.C., John (James Robinson), of Tempe, Ariz., and William (Deng Bin), of Hoorn, the Netherlands; four grandchildren; several in-laws, nieces and nephews.
[ back ]
