1230 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 509

trator shall be entitled to recover the funeral expenses of
said testator or intestate, not to exceed, however, the sum
of Five Hundred Dollars ($500. 00), in addition to any other
damages recoverable in such actions; and they shall be liable
to be sued in any court of law or equity, in any action (except
slander) which might have been maintained against the de-
ceased; and they shall be entitled to and answerable for costs
in the same manner as the deceased would have been, and shall
be allowed for the same in their accounts, if the court award-
ing costs against them shall certify that there were probable
grounds for instituting, prosecuting or defending the action
on which a judgment or decree shall have been given against
them; provided, however, that any such action for injuries
to the person to be maintainable against an executor or ad-
ministrator must be commenced within six calendar months
after the death of the testator or intestate.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take
effect June 1, 1949.

Approved April 29, 1949.

CHAPTER 509

(House Bill 44)

AN ACT to add a new section to Article 43 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1947 Supplement), title "Health", sub-
title "Chronic Hospitals and Infirmaries", said new section
to be known as Section 528A and to follow immediately
after Section 528 of said Article, relating to the payments
to be made on account of patients in chronic hospitals and
infirmaries and to the collection thereof.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That a new section be and it is hereby added to Article
43 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1947 Supplement),
title "Health", sub-title "Chronic Hospitals and Infirmaries",
said new section to be known as Section 528A, to follow im-
mediately after Section 528 of said Article, and to read as
follows:

528A. (a). For the purpose of determining the eligibility
of any person for admission to any chronic hospital and in-
firmary established under the provisions of this sub-title, it
shall be the duty of the County Welfare Board or the Depart-
ment of Welfare of Baltimore City, as the case may be, to