998 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 528

(1951 Edition), title "Chancery", sub-title "Inebriates",
and to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 1
of Article 59 of said Code, title "Lunatics and Insane",
sub-title "Lunatic or Insane Paupers", making the pro-
visions of said sections as to the empanelling of a jury
for alleged habitual drunkards and for alleged lunatics
and insane persons conform to the provisions of Section
134 of Article 16 of said* Code, which section abolished
the use of the so-called Sheriff's Jury in certain cases.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That Section 52 of Article 16 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1951 Edition), title "Chancery", sub-
title "Inebriates", and Section 1 of Article 59 of said Code,
title "Lunatics and Insane", sub-title "Lunatic or Insane
Paupers", be and they are hereby repealed and re-enacted,
with amendments, and all to read as follows:

52. Whenever, by petition, under oath, any person shall
be alleged to be an habitual drunkard, incapable of taking
care of himself or his property, any circuit court of this
State and also either of the circuit courts of Baltimore City
shall have the power, in its discretion, on such preliminary
examinations or inquiry, as it may think proper to make
ex parte, to issue a warrant to the sheriff of the county or
city, respectively, to arrest and bring the party so charged
before such court; and it shall be the duty of the sheriff
to obey such warrant; and such court shall cause a jury
[of good and lawful men, to be summoned by the said
sheriff, ] to be empannelled forthwith, as specified in Section
134 of this Article, and shall charge said jury, under oath,
to inquire, in the presence of such person, whether he is an
habitual drunkard, incapable of taking care of himself;
and the proceedings in such case shall be like those now
authorized by law in cases of persons alleged to be luna-
tics 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 drunkards 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 proceed-
ings to establish the same, and may, with the approbation
of the court wherein said petition may be filed, appoint
his own committee, and may voluntarily enter any insti-
tution 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 may have agreed
therein to remain; and if the person against whom the
petition may be filed shall be found by the jury to be an