EMERSON C. HARRINGTON, GOVERNOR. 417

fied 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
Board of State Aid and Charities such separation is necessary,
and said Board gives its written consent thereto.

Section 485. It shall be the duty of every person separat-
ing, or assisting or participating in separating, any such child
from its mother, and of every person placing, receiving or re-
taining or assisting in placing, receiving or retaining any such,
child in a foster home or institution for the maintenance 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 compe-
tent jurisdiction, or the Board of State Aid and Charities, has
ordered such separation and the placing of the child in such
foster home or institution.

Section 486. 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 Board of State Aid and Charities,
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 Board 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.

Section 487. Whenever it shall come to the notice of said
Board that any such child has been separated from its mother
or has been placed in an institution for the maintenance of
such child, said Board shall cause an investigation to be made,
and if it appear to the Board that this Act has been violated
it shall make known the facts to the authorities charged with
the enforcement of the criminal laws to the end that proceed-
ings may be started for the punishment of the person or per-
sons who may have violated the Act

Section 488. Every person who violates or fails to comply
with any of the provisions of this Act, and every physician
who knowingly makes a false certificate as above provided for,

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