HENRY LLOYD, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

SEC. 37. And be it enacted, That the deten-
tion of any person in any one of the places or

809

receptacles for the insane, specified in this act,
without compliance with the regulations of
this actor the acts already in force, shall be a
misdemeanor on the part of such person so
violating the provisions of this act, or any one
who has omitted the requirements of this act
shall be liable for damages.

SEC. 38. And be it enacted. That any person
Relieving himself to be mentally diseased and
approaching a state of insanity, and being ad-
vised by his attending physician, that such is
liis condition, may voluntarily commit him-
self to any one of the specific institutions in-
cluded in this act, to be detained for the time
specified by written agreement, signed by such
person in the presence of a friend or relative
or any disinterested person, and by his attend-
ing physician, for a period not exceeding three

Mislemeanor.

months, said contract may be extended by re-
newal; but if at the expiration of the period
of contract, such person should be insane and
unfit to be discharged in the opinion of the
Medical Superintendent, the Lunacy Commis-
sion shall be duly notified in writing of the
facts, and said Commission shall investigate
the same, and, if in their opinion, such person
is unfit to be discharged, then and in such case,
said Commission shall be authorized to renew
the contract by their own authority for one
month at a time.

SEC. 39. And be it enacted, That no institu-
tion for the custody, confinement or treatment

Voluntary
commitment.

of the insane, whether public, corporate or
private, shall be authorized to hold in confine-
ment or custody any number of insane per-
sons exceeding five for compensation, unless
there shall be a physician in regular attend-
ance upon such institution or house.

Approved April 7, 1886.

Limit.