2108 ARTICLE 59.

An. Code, sec. 41. 1910, ch. 715, sec. 38C (p. 190). 1916, ch. 566, sec. 41.

42. Whenever in the opinion of any medical superintendent or chief
medical officer of any institution, hospital, asylum, home or retreat for
the insane it may be for the benefit of any patient to grant such patient
leave of absence or parole, on trial, such parole may be granted for a period
not exceeding six months, or such further period or periods for which said
parole may be renewed at the option of the medical superintendent or
chief officer, upon application in writing, endorsed by the relatives, friends
or other persons at whose instance the said patient was first committed,
and who shall obligate themselves to give him or her proper care during
the period of such parole or any renewal or renewals thereof. Any such
patient may be returned by his friends or brought back by the duly desig-
nated officers of the institution from which he has been paroled at or before
the expiration of the period of parole, as provided for the return of
patients who have escaped from institutions, asylums, hospitals, homes or
retreats for the insane within this State.

An. Code, sec. 42, 1910, ch. 715 sec. 38D (p. 191).

43. The superintendent or chief medical officer of every institution,
hospital, asylum, home or retreat for the insane to which persons may be
admitted in accordance with sections 17 to 19, 22 to 24, 26, 38 and 40 to
47, shall discharge any patient, except one under criminal charge, upon
being satisfied by personal examination and inquiry that said patient has
recovered. He may also discharge any patient who appears quiet and
harmless, and who is not likely to improve under further treatment, upon
being satisfied that such patient's relatives or friends are able to give him
proper care and supervision. He shall not discharge any patient now or
hereafter detained in any institution, asylum, home or retreat whom he
has reason to believe to be dangerous to himself or others, except upon the
order of some court of competent jurisdiction. Nothing in this section shall
prevent the relatives or friends of any patient maintained by them at
private expense in any institution, hospital, asylum, home or retreat for
the insane in this State, removing such patient at any time, but in the
event of the removal of any patient so maintained who is believed by the
superintendent or chief medical officer of any institution from which such
removal is made, to be dangerous to himself or others, it shall be the duty
of the superintendent or chief medical officer to give notice in writing to
the relatives or friends making such removal that, in his belief, the said
patient is dangerous, and his reason for such belief, and to cause a copy of
said notice to be filed with the papers upon which said patient was com-
mitted.

An. Code, sec. 43. 1910, ch. 715, sec. 38E (p. 191).

44. The Board of Mental Hygiene shall have the power to appoint a
board of visitors for each county asylum and almshouse where the insane
are confined. Said board of visitors shall consist of five persons in good re-
pute, two members of whom shall be women. Any member of the board
of visitors shall have power to visit and inspect every part of the institu-