2504 ARTICLE 59

Hygiene shall ascertain by actual examination or inquiry through its Chair-
man whether the laws relating to the persons in custody in said insti-
tution and to those in control thereof are properly 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 carefully 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 Board may consider necessary. The Board,
or its Chairman, shall from time to time make an example of all the
records and methods of administration as relate to patients, the general
and special dietary and treatment of any patients confined therein, espe-
cially where admitted since the preceding visit, giving such as may desire
it suitable opportunity to converse with the visitors privately.

1939, ch. 120, sec. 19A.

20. Spring Grove State Hospital, Springfield State Hospital, the East-
ern Shore State Hospital and Crownsville State Hospital shall hereafter
exercise their functions under the supervision, direction and control of the
Board of Mental Hygiene. Each of said institutions shall continue under
the management of their respective Board of Managers or Visitors, con-
stituted as now by law provided and having and continuing to exercise the
same rights, powers, duties, obligations or functions, except that all future
appointments of Superintendents and physicians or medical officers shall
be made by the board of managers or visitors of each institution, subject
to the approval of the Board of Mental Hygiene, in accordance with the
provisions of Article 64A of the Code. Each above mentioned institution
shall submit to the Board of Mental Hygiene such reports, medical and
financial, as the Board of Mental Hygiene may request. It shall be the
duty of the Commissioners of Mental Hygiene to inform the Board of
Mental Hygiene as to conditions in the above mentioned institutions and
to order that such changes as seem desirable for the welfare of the patients,
be, with the approval of the Board of Mental.Hygiene, put into effect.

All appointments of physicians below the grade of Superintendent or
Clinical Director to any State Hospital for mental patients shall be made
subject to transfer from one institution to another by the Board of Mental
Hygiene, provided the Superintendents of the two institutions in question
agree to the transfer and provided that no reduction in salary is made and
that approximately similar living conditions are supplied the physician to
be transferred.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 20. 1912, sec. 20. 1904, sec. 20. 1888, sec. 20. 1886, ch. 487, sec. 21.

21. If in their judgment any person confined in any institution in
this State as insane be not insane, the Board may, at any time, bring
the matter to the attention of the state's attorney of Baltimore City, or
the state's attorney of any of the respective counties of the State, whose
duty it shall be to apply to the proper tribunal for the writ of habeas
corpus, to the end that proper inquiry and investigation may be had at
once as to the mental condition of such person; and if the court shall be
of the opinion that such person is not insane, then the court shall discharge