What does the swindler Cornelius Herz do before he flees to France?

Before he flees to France, the swinder Cornelius Herz does a series of things. He grows up in the U.S. where he graduates from college. Furthermore, while he qualifies as an assistant surgeon during the Franco-Prussian War, he never completes a medical degree. Regardless, he practices as a doctor in three major U.S. cities before fleeing to France when he comes under investigation for defrauding both his partners and his patients.