ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 779

institution as soon after the birth of such child as the state
of her health will permit. The expenses of such accomodation,
maintenance and medical care shall be paid by said woman or
her relatives or friends, or from any fund that would be avail-
able for the hospital expenses of such inmate within the in-
stitution, or if not otherwise available, shall be a charge upon
the county, city or town from which such inmate was committed
to such institution, and collectible by such officer in charge
of such institution. A child so born may be returned with
its mother to the institution in which the mother is confined,
if the Board of Welfare, in its judgment, deems it will be for
the best interest of the said child; but if the Board of Wel-
fare, in its judgment, decides that it will not be for the best
interest of the child to be returned to the institution with its
mother, then, upon proof being furnished by the father or
other relatives of their ability properly to care for and main-
tain such child, the said Board shall order that the child be
given into the care and custody of the father or other rela-
tive, who shall thereafter car© for and maintain the same at
his or her own expense until the release of the mother of such
child or until such child shall have been duly adopted as pro-
vided by law. If it shall appear that the father or other
relative is unable properly to care for and maintain such
child, the Board of Welfare shall place the child in the care
of the officer exercising power of a Superintendent of the Poor
of the county from which said inmate was committed as a
proper charge upon such county, or in the care of any charit-
able organization willing to provide for the child; or in case
the mother of the child was a resident of Baltimore City, then
in that event, the child shall be placed in the care of the Henry
Watson Children's Aid Society or the Saint Vincent's Infant
Asylum.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall
take effect June 1, 1929.

Approved April 11, 1929.

CHAPTER 259.

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact with amendments Section 765
of Article 4 of the Public Local Laws of Maryland (1927
Edition), title "Baltimore City, " sub-title "Matrons at the