CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS 1275

ber of the board of visitors, and be subject to a fine not to exceed five
hundred dollars, to be recovered as other fines are, or imprisoned for a
term in the Maryland House of Correction not to exceed one year.

Separating Young Child from Mother.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 535. 1912, sec. 483A. 1916, ch. 210, sec. 484.

622. It shall be unlawful to separate a child under the age of six
months from its mother for the purpose of placing such child in a foster
home or institution for the maintenance of such child, or to assist or par-
ticipate in such separation, or to place, receive or retain any child in a
foster home or institution for the maintenance of such child, or to assist
or participate in so placing, receiving or retaining such child; unless it be
necessary for the physical good of the mother or of such child that they
be separated or that such child be placed, received or retained in a foster
home or institution for the maintenance of such child, and two physicians,
qualified to practice medicine in the State of Maryland, and who shall
have been engaged in active practice for at least five years, shall have
signed a certificate setting out the reasons for such necessity, or unless a
Court of competent jurisdiction shall have so ordered, or unless within
the discretion of the State Department of Public Welfare such separation is
necessary, and said Department gives its written consent thereto.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 536. 1912, sec. 483B. 1918, ch. 210, sec. 485.

623. It shall be the duty of every person separating, or assisting or
participating in separating, any such child from its mother, and of every
person placing, receiving or retaining or assisting in placing, receiving or
retaining any such child in a foster home or institution for the mainte-
nance of such child, before so 'doing, to investigate whether the mother of
such child be living and whether two physicians have signed the certificate
above provided for or whether a Court of competent jurisdiction, or the
State Department of Public Welfare has ordered such separation and the
placing of the child in such foster home or institution.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 537. 1912, sec. 483C. 1916, ch. 210, sec. 486.

624. It shall be the duty of the person who shall receive any such child
in a foster home or institution for the maintenance of such child to file
forthwith the certificate above provided for with the State Department of
Public Welfare, and the duty of every person who shall retain, or assist or
participate in retaining, any such child in a foster home or institution for
the maintenance of such child, to ascertain whether said certificate has been
so filed, and, if there be no such certificate, then to notify said Department
forthwith of the facts concerning the separation of said child from its
mother and the reception and retention of such child in said foster home
or institution.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 538. 1912, sec. 483D. 1916, ch. 210, sec. 487.

625. Whenever it shall come to the notice of said Department that any
such child has been separated from its mother or has been placed in an
institution for the maintenance of such child, said Department shall cause
an investigation to be made, and if it appear to the Department that this
sub-title has been violated it shall make known the facts to the authorities