2494

ARTICLE 59

	57. Visitors to report to Board of Mental	64. Land to be purchased; buildings con-
	Hygiene as to wards of state.	structed.
	58. Board of Mental Hygiene to examine	65. Expenses.
	inmates and report to court.	66. Quorum of board of managers.
	59. Court to examine report.
	60. Gifts, legacies, etc., sanctioned.	Eastern Shore State Hospital.
	Crownsville State Hospital.	67-70. Board of managers; vacancies; land
		and buildings.
	61. Hospital established; proviso.
	62. Board of managers. By-laws. Reports.
	63. Expiration of term of office of board;	Liquor and Drugs.
	vacancies.	71. Furnishing to patients; penalty.

Lunatic or Insane Paupers.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 1. 1912, sec. 1. 1904, sec. 1. 1888, sec. 1. 1834, ch. 194. 1900, ch. 603.

1. When any person is alleged to be a lunatic or insane and without
sufficient means to pay for his or her maintenance at an asylum, and who
has no relative or relatives or others legally chargeable with his or her
support, the county commissioners of the county in. which such person may
reside, or the Department of Welfare¹ of the city of Baltimore (if such per-
son resides in the city of Baltimore), shall, upon the written certificates of
two qualified physicians made in accordance with the provisions of section
34, cause such person to be sent to the almshouse of the county or city to
which he or she belongs, or to a hospital or some other place better suited
to his or her condition, there to be confined at the expense of the county
or city until he or she shall have recovered and be discharged in due course
of law; but if demanded by the alleged lunatic or insane person or any of
his or her relatives or friends, or if requested by the board of county com-
missioners of the county in which the alleged lunatic or insane person
resides, or by the Department of Welfare of the city of Baltimore, if said
person resides therein, the circuit court for the county in which such person
may reside, or the criminal court of Baltimore, (if such person resides in
the city of Baltimore) shall cause a jury of twelve good and lawful men
to be empanelled forthwith and shall charge the said jury to inquire
whether such person is insane or lunatic, and if found so it shall be the
duty of the county commissioners or the Department of Welfare of Balti-
more City to cause such person to be sent to the almshouse of the county
or city to which he or she belongs, or to a hospital, or to some other place
better suited to his or her condition, there to be confined at the expense of
the county or city, until he or she shall have recovered and be discharged
in due course of law. It shall be the duty of any board of county commis-
sioners or the Department of Welfare of the city of Baltimore, before whom
any such alleged lunatic or insane person is brought for commitment
under this section, if not satisfied that such person is lunatic or insane,
as defined in section 3, to notify the state's attorney of said county or city;
and he shall immediately thereupon bring the said question before the
circuit court for the said county or the criminal court of Baltimore for
determination in accordance with the provisions of this section. Nothing
contained in this section shall prevent the friends or relatives of such
lunatic or insane person from confining him or her or providing for his
or her comfort.

¹ Formerly the Supervisors of City Charities.