The Royal College of PhySicians of Edinburgh has done better
than the Royal College of Surgeons. On Tuesday it reinstated Dr. Axham, who had forfeited his diploma when he acted as anaesthetist for Sir Herbert Barker in 1911. Last week the Royal College of Surgeons refused to reinstate Dr. Axham. The way is now clear for the General Medical Council to place Dr. Axham's name again on its Register. The G.M.C. has explained several times that it could do nothing till Dr. Axham had one of his diplomas restored and till he formally made application to have his name restored to the Register. That is, of course, true, but we cannot help thinking that the G.M.C., if it had liked, could easily have done something to accelerate the proceedings. We are thoroughly alive to the great dangers of any slack interpretation of professional conduct, but we strongly hold, nevertheless, that Dr. Axham ought to benefit by an act of grace, and we are sure that such an act would be almost universally welcomed.
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