[1] Under his leadership significant advances in treatment of bacterial pneumonia and later against tuberculosis were made.
[2] The New York Times in its obituary for Cole called him "a pioneer in clinical medicine" and "an authority on lobar pneumonia".
The New York Times also wrote in the same obituary that Cole was President of Association of American Physicians in 1931, had honorary degrees from the University of Chicago and the National University of Ireland.
[4] He is also credited by Franklin C. McLean for creating a blueprint for clinical studies.
During his retirement he wrote a two volume history of 17th century Britain: "Human History, the Seventeenth Century and the Stuart Family", Two Volumes by Rufus Cole (Hardcover – 1959).