The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-16
THE PIRLOT CASE
Riders Book Notes Reviews 1t
Again In Light Of The
Recent Trial.

The state board of health in it's cru
sade against DIR. Jules A. Pirlot has
been beaten. The board ought now to
be punished for it's illegal action in op-
pressing DIR. Pirlot. There was never
any foundation for the action of DR..
Swarts; he was In the wrong from the
beginning. DR.. Pirlot came with three
diplomas from the Academic de Medi-
cine. Faculte de Paris. This is a char
tered institution. The highest medical
college I'm France. The law of Rhode
Island says THE state board of health
shall upon application issue a certifi-
cate to any respectable physician who
desires to practice medicine In this
state who possesses any OF the follow
ing qualifications: First, A diploma
from a respectable and legally char
tered medical college, endorsed as such
by the state board OF health. General
Laws of r. I. d. 4s1.)
1T is not a question OF discretion
with the state board whether IL will
issue certificate. the law Is manda-
tory; it shall issue to any respectable
man who holds a diploma from RE-
putable and legally chartered medical
college" Is not the Academic de Med
icine of France chartered. and is IL not
reputable? Previous to the submission
OF three diplomas by DIR. Pirlot had the
state board voted not to endorse 4
Academic de Medicine?
The state board even had 1t taken ac-
ton, or which there Is no evidence
shown, could not In the face OF the Di-
plomas held by DR.. Pirlot, require a
medical examination to be submitted
to by him. The law reads: ANY per-
son not qualified as hereinbefore pro-
vided chat is, with a diploma) before
practicing shall submit to such an ex-
animation as the board may require"
(Gen. Laws n. l., sec. 3, d. 492) Hence
DR.. Swarts was wholly outside of the
law, in his action towards DIR. Pirlot.
In another respect the case had no
foundation. DIR. Pirlot charged moth
ing, nor was he paid anything for con-
sultation-consultatio was free. The
law requires that practitioner OF med
icine in order to become amenable to
this statute, must be paid something,
for reward or compensation" or he
cannot be stopped. That DIR. Pirlot
was paid was never shown, nor at
tempted to be shown,by the state board
of health.
The nasty fling By the Journal at DR..
Pirlot, comparing his act, to the acts OF
bar room keepers under the Raines
law. in that, by giving drink, with
paid for sandwich the penalty was
evaded, discloses the ignorance Of the
act OF DR.. Pirlot was a provision of the
law. he not only acted within the law.
but in obedience to 1t. The bar room
Keeper can find no such provision in
the Raines law. People have been led
to look to the Journal for an honest Cat
least) statement of such cases.
Hence the case against Pirlot
which the state board has pushed for
two years has been hopelessly lost--it
ought never to have been started.
Under the law IL was the bounden duty
Of the state board to issue at once GER
tiflcate to DR.. Pirlot, or refuse to en-
dorse as reputable the French academy
OF medicine. 1t did neither. Had il
performed the duty which the law re-
Quired, this case could never have
arisen. 1t is outside of argument that
in case / procure. or lead person to
do "a wrong, / cannot punish him for
the wrong committed. That is precise
of the board of health tbut merely
member of the board, ex-officio) used to
DR.. Pirlot q phrase OF double meaning
AS DIR. Pirlot understood ii. he would
not be molested. but as DIR. Swarts |
doubtless intended, II had double |
meaning. hence arose the suit. BY the |
illegal action of the board Dr. Pirlot |
has been put to large expense. DIR. |
Swarts under oath declared that the |
board refused to grant the certificate: |
unless the record OF the state board OF |
health. in actual meeting. can be pro- |
duced, showing such action, the secre. |
tary OF the board. DR.. Swarts, will be |
placed i'm a very awkward position. The |
board OF health was founded for the |
purpose OF giving an individual |
pull on the state treasury. The ac- |
tuaI members receive nothing for their /
services: the secretary only Is paid
Sidney $. Riders Book Notes.