HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 173

"Hospital" as herein used means any institution which main-
tains and operates facilities for the care and/or treatment of
two (2) or more non-related persons as patients suffering men-
tal or physical ailments, but shall not be construed to include
any dispensary or first-aid treatment facilities maintained by
any commercial or industrial plant, educational institution or
convent.

"Person" shall include any person, partnership, association
or corporation or any state, county or local governmental unit
and any division, board or agency thereof.

496B. (Hospitals Must Obtain Licenses. ) No person shall
establish, conduct, maintain or operate in the State of Mary-
land any hospital without first having obtained a license there-
for as hereinafter provided in this sub-title.

496C. (Existing Hospitals to Obtain Licenses. ) No person
may continue to operate an existing hospital unless such oper-
ation shall be approved and legally licensed by the State Board
of Health as hereinafter provided in this sub-title; provided,
however, that all hospitals in operation on the effective date
of this sub-title shall be given a reasonable time to meet the
minimum standards provided for in this sub-title and the rules
and regulations issued thereunder.

496D. (Application for Licenses. ) Any person desiring
a license to open a hospital or to continue the operation of an
existing hospital shall file with the State Board of Health a
verified application setting forth the name of the applicant
desiring such license, that the applicant is not less than twenty-
one years of age and of reputable and responsible character,
the class of hospital to be operated, the location thereof, the
name of the person in charge thereof and such additional infor-
mation as the State Board of Health may require. Applica-
tions on behalf of a corporation or association or a govern-
mental unit or agency shall be made by any two officers thereof.

Each application for a license to operate a hospital shall be
accompanied by a fee of ten dollars ($10. 00). All licenses
issued hereunder shall expire one year from date of issuance.
No such fee shall be refunded and all fees received by the State
Board of Health under the provisions of this sub-title shall
be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the State Board
of Health for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of
this sub-title.

496E. (Issuance of Licenses. ) The State Board of Health
is hereby authorized to issue licenses to open, maintain and
operate hospitals which, after inspection, are found to comply