Sir Arthur Benson Gray, senior surgeon at Graftondale Hospital, wins another round in his battle with research-minded junior surgeon, Neil Isherwood, when he appoints newly-qualified Philip Selwood as registrar. Selwood, who is in love with Sir Arthur's daughter, overcomes prejudice by proving himself to be a brilliant surgeon. He befriends Carl Romek, a Polish anesthetist who is also a drug addict, but while attending to him secretly one night he neglects a patient, who dies ...