DR AXHAM’S CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3756, 9 March 1926, Page 70

DR AXHAM’S CASE.

SUSPENSION REMOVED. (See Illustrations in this Issue.) t'Fsoii Ode Own Corkesiondentj LONDON, January 21. Dr F. W. Axliam, the eighty-six-year-old physician, whose name was struck oil the medical register because he acted as anaesthetist to Sir Herbert Barker, lias now the hope of being reinstated, for the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, has removed the suspension it imposed on him 15 years ago. Dr Axhara will thus receive back his diploma as a licentiate of the college, and it is understood that this restoration puts it in the power of the General Medical Council to act on its own account. The meeting of the Edinburgh College of Physicians lasted two hours, and was largely attended. Eventually a majority adopted the following resolution: —“That the college having, on the seventh day of May, 1912, determined on good cause shown that Frederick William Axhara, a licentiate of the college of Morden Dollis Park, Church md, Finchley North, should be suspended sine die, and deprived, until the said suspension is removed or remitted, of all the rights and privileges which as a licentiate he enjoyed. It is now resolved by the college, on proof submitted that the said Frederick William Axliam has abstained for the last five years from the practices which led to his suspension and will not resume them, that the said suspension be removed, as from this date.” A matter of particular gratification to Dr Axhara is that the Royal College of Physicians raised the matter on its own initiative, he having made no application. Some months ago applications were made both to the Royal College of Surgeons, London, and to the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, but they were refused. The application to the College of Surgeons was renewed on Deccnmber 23, and again refused. The decision whether or not Dr Axham shall be restored to the medical register rests now with the General Medical Council, and with the General Medical Council alone. This court sits only at infrequent intervals, and cannot proceed to action until its next statutory meeting—unless, indeed, pressure of work or other cause should necessitate some change in the usual procedure. Dr Axhara, who lives in Norbury, is now in failing health, but the news of the removal of his suspension has given him a renewed joy in life. “I shall lodge my appeal to the General Medical Council at once,” he said; “I can only ask them to reconsider the matter immediately instead of waiting till their neft session in May. .1 am an old man now, but my last days will be made happier by the action of the Royal College at Edinburgh. 1 am hoping that the General Medical Council will not refuse to reinstate me now, since I have got back one of my diplomas."

Dr Axliam, who was wheeled to the fireside to receive all the friends who were eager to congratulate him on the good news, reiterated his extreme happiness. Only one visitor was allowed to enter the room at a time for fear of tiring him overmuch. When Sir William Arbutlinot Lane, the distinguished surgeon, was informed of the verdict he said: “I am delighted to hear it. 1 congratulate the Edinburgh College of Physicians heartily on its wisdom. It has got everybody out of a very nasty, complicated business, and I think it has done a wise thing. It is not the first time that Scotsmen have saved the situation in all sorts of fields, and. as I am not a Scotsman myself, I have no hesitation in praising them." According to The Times the reinstatement of Dr Axham will do honour to those who talc** the step and go far to remove from tne public the idea that Dr Axham sinned chiefly in assisting to teach his professional brethren certain operations of surgery which they had neglected. “The public are not unaware that the names of convicted drunkards are sometimes restored, after the lapse of a few years, to the medical register. To the uninstructed mind the danger represented by a surgeon in a state of intoxication seems as great as, or possibly even greater than, that threatening when a duly registered practitioner assists the activities of Sir Herbert Barker. Yet the sentence on Dr Axham has now been in force for upwards of 14 years.”