1422 LUNATICS AND INSANE. [ART. 59

investigations and examinations into and respecting and concerning all
institutions, public or private, or whether the same be incorporated or
be conducted or controlled by individuals, which may be authorized by
law to receive and care for insane persons, and to inquire into the
nature and methods of detention, treatment, government and manage-
ment of all persons therein confined, detained or treated. Said com-
mission shall also investigate and examine into the condition of all
buildings, grounds and other property connected with any such insti-
tution, or institutions, and into all matters relating to their maintenance,
conduct and management, for such purpose or purposes any members
of said commission, or the secretary thereof, shall have free access to
the grounds, buildings, equipment and appurtenances and all books and
papers relating to patients confined in any such institution, or institu-
tions, and to said patients themselves. All persons connected with any
such institution shall give such information and afford such facilities
for any such examination or inquiry as the commission or its secretary
may require. The commission shall encourage scientific investigations
by the medical staffs of the various institutions under its supervision,
and to this end may, in its discretion, publish from time to time bulle-
tins and reports of the scientific and business work done therein, and
may prescribe to the superintendent and managers of the several insti-
tutions under its supervision the forms of and periods covered by the
statistical returns to be made by them in their annual report to the
commission. The secretary, or at least one member of the lunacy com-
mission appointed for the purpose by the commission, shall visit all
public, corporate and private institutions, almshouses or county asylums
where the insane or feeble-minded are kept, at least once in every six
months. The lunacy commission shall ascertain by actual examination
or inquiry through its secretary whether the laws relating to the persons
in custody in said institution and to those in control thereof are prop-
erly observed, shall give such directions as will insure correctness in
the returns required relative to them, and may use such means as may
be necessary to collect all desired information. Such visits shall be
made on such days and such hours of the day or night, and for such
length of time as the visitor may choose. The official visitor shall care-
fully inspect every part of the institution visited in reference to its
cleanliness and sanitary conditions, the number of patients in seclusion
or restraint, the dietary and' treatment of the patients, and any other
matters the commission may consider necessary. The commission, or
its secretary, shall from time to time make an examination of all the
records and methods of administration as relate to patients, the gen-
eral and special dietary and treatment of any patients confined therein,
especially where admitted since the preceding visit, giving such as may
desire it suitable opportunity to converse with the visitors privately.

1904, art. 59. sec. 20. 1888. art. 59, sec. 20. 1886, ch. 487, sec. 21.
20. If in their judgment any person confined in any institution in
this State as insane be not insane, the commission may, at any time,