CHANCERY. 465

An. Code, sec. 73. 1904, sec. 69. 1892, ch. 244, sec. 62B.

75. The husband and wife may file a petition jointly praying the court
to decree the adoption by them jointly of any child, but no decree of adop-
tion shall pas's where the petitioner is a married person unless it be shown
that the husband or wife of the petitioner consents to the adoption, or is
hopelessly insane, or that the parties are living apart under such circum-
stances as would entitle the petitioner to a divorce.

An. Code, sec. 74. 1904. sec. 70. 1892, ch. 244, sec. 62C.

76. The effect of such decree of adoption shall be to entitle the child
so adopted to the same rights of inheritance and distribution as to the
petitioner's estate, and the same rights of protection, education and main-
tenance as if born to such petitioner in lawful wedlock, and the natural
parents of such child shall be freed from all legal obligation towards it,
provided that where such child inherits property from its adopted parent or
parents, upon it dying intestate without issue the property thus inherited
shall descend and be distributed to the same persons who would take the same
by inheritance and in course of distribution if the child had been the child
of the adopted parents born to them in lawful wedlock; provided, however,
that this shall not be construed to limit or interfere with the power of
disposition over such property by gift, grant, devise, bequest or otherwise
by said adopted child.

Neither by virtue of this section nor of sec. 78 is a child adopted by " A " under
sec. 74, entitled to take under a will whereby certain property is left to the testatrix's
son " A " for life and after his death to his children equally, and if there are no
children then to " the right heirs " of the testatrix. Eureka Life Ins. Co. v. Geis,
121 Md. 199.

This section referred to in holding that an illegitimate child was not entitled to
workmen's compensation benefits—see notes to art. 101, sec. 65. Scott v. Indepen-
dent Ice Co., 135 Md. 350 (decided prior to the act of 1920, ch. 456).

See notes to sec. 74.

An. Code, sec. 75. 1904, sec. 71. 1892, ch. 244, sec. 62D.

77. If the petition contains a prayer to that effect, the court may also
decree that the name of the child be changed.

As to proceedings for change of name, see sec. 113.

An. Code, sec. 76. 1904, sec. 72. 1892, ch. 244, sec. 62E.

78. The term " child " or its equivalent in a deed, grant, will or other
written instrument shall be held to include any child adopted by the person
executing the same, unless the contrary plainly appears by the. term thereof,
whether such instrument be executed before or after the adoption.
See notes to sec. 76.

An. Code, sec. 77. 1904, sec. 73. 1892, ch. 244, sec. 62F.

79. Any inhabitant of any other State adopted as a child in accor-
dance with the laws thereof shall upon proof of such fact be entitled in this
State to the same rights of inheritance and distribution as he or she would
have enjoyed in the State where adopted except in so far as they may con-
flict with the provisions of the five preceding sections.