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700
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LAWS OF MARYLAND.
court shall cause a jury of good and lawful men, to be sum-
moned by the said sheriff, to be empanelled forthwith, and shall
charge said jury, under oath, to inquire, in the presence of such
person, whether he or she is an habitual drunkard, incapable
of taking care of himself or herself; and the proceedings
in such case shall be like those now authorized by law in cases
of persons alleged to be lunatics or insane; and the rules of
law and proceedings now applicable to the property of lunatics
shall apply to cases of persons declared to be habitual drunk-
ards under the provisions of this section, except when herein
otherwise directed; and any person who may be alleged to be
an habitual drunkard may dispense with the legal proceedings
to establish the same, and may, with the approbation of the
court wherein said petition may be filed, appoint his or her
own committee, and may voluntarily enter any institution
selected by the court, for a limited time; and the board of
trustees or managers of such institution may retain such person
the length of time he or she may have agreed therein to
remain; and if the person against whom the petition maybe
filed shall be found by the jury to be an habitual drunkard,
incapable of taking care of himself or herself, it shall be the
duty of the court to appoint a committee of such person, and
such committee shall, with the written assent and approbation
of the court, have the power of confining such person in any
suitable institution, for such length of time, as the court may,
in writing, approve; but said committee, with the written
assent and approbation of the court, may at any time release
from confinement said habitual drunkard, and the period of
confinement of said habitual drunkard may, by the said com-
mittee, with the written assent and approbation of the court,
be from time to time extended, for such period as may be
necessary for his or her complete reformation; and the words
" habitual drunkard," as used in this section, shall be construed
to embrace any person who may be habitually addicted to the
use of alcohol, opium, cocaine, morphine or any other drug or
intoxicant.
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