Born 24 July 1873 at Hazareebagh in the province of Calcutta where his grandfather, George Robert Nuthall (1821-1900), was an assistant surgeon in the HEIC service from 1845 to 1862; his father too was in the Company's service. Alexander Nuthall was educated at Westward Ho College and received his medical education at Queen's and Mason's Colleges in Birmingham, where he gained the Ingleby scholarship, and at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London. His first appointment was that of house surgeon to George Jordan Lloyd. In 1900 he volunteered for active service as a civil surgeon during the South African war and was sent to Natal with Sir Frederick Treves. On his return to Birmingham he was appointed resident surgical officer at the General Hospital, filling the post until 1902, when he became casualty surgeon at the Queen's Hospital. Four years later he became surgeon to out-patients at the Queen's Hospital and in 1919 was elected surgeon. He joined the staff of the Children's Hospital in 1904 and retired on 4 March 1929. On the occasion of his retirement the Lord Mayor of Birmingham made him a presentation in recognition of the excellent work he had done for the Children's Hospital. Like William Billington he was a founder of St Chad's Hospital for middle-class patients. Desirous of entering the army, like his father and grandfather, he was debarred by colour blindness, but on 19 February 1913 he received a commission as captain in the Fifth Royal Warwickshire Regiment, transferred to the RAMC on 11 January 1915, served in France, and was afterwards at Salonica in charge of the surgical division of the 52nd General Hospital. After the end of the war he was chairman of the central division of the Birmingham branch of the British Medical Association, was president of the branch, and was its representative on the central Council. He was survived by three children, his wife having predeceased him. He died very suddenly at Birmingham on 20 November 1931. Publications: Diffuse carcinomatosis of the stomach and intestines, with G Emmanuel. *Trans Path Soc Lond* 1903, 54, 90, and *Lancet*, 1903, 1, 159. Pneumococcal infection, with W Billington. *Bgham med Rev* 1903, 54, 5. Pneumococcal peritonitis, the Ingleby lecture. *Ibid* 1926, 1, 103. Three cases of gunshot wound of the superior longitudinal sinus. *J Roy Army med Corps*, 1916, 26, 235.