THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR                     25

of the residence of such patient and to determine of what county
said patient is a proper charge, and shall thereupon notify each of
said counties [and the Department of Mental Hygiene] of such
determination, and shall notify the superintendent of the State
hospital for the insane or Rosewood State Training School, and the
counties aforesaid shall thereafter treat and regard such patient as
of the county according to the determination of the [State Comp-
troller] Department of Mental Hygiene, and if the [State Comp-
troller] Department of Mental Hygiene shall find that such patient
is not a proper charge against any county of the State, such patient
shall thereafter be regarded as a proper charge against the State
[at Large]. The amount incurred by any county of this State, or by
the State for treatment and maintenance for any insane person in
the State [hospitals for the insane and Rosewood State Training
School] institution under the jurisdiction of the Department of
Mental Hygiene shall be a charge against the estate of such person
as provided in Section 5.

ARTICLE 16

45. When such petition is filed, any judge of the circuit court
referred to in Section 44, if satisfied from examination that the facts
set forth in the petition are true, and that the said drunkard has
been a resident of the county or of Baltimore city for six months
next preceding the application, and that such drunkard of his own
free will desires to take such treatment, shall send such habitual
drunkard to some institution for the cure of drunkenness; provided,
said institution is located in the State of Maryland, and that the
managers of such institution will agree to treat such patient for a
[sum of] cost to the county of a sum not to exceed one hundred and
twenty-five dollars per annum; but such court shall not be compelled
to send such habitual drunkard to any institution making a lower
bid than the sum herein specified, unless in their judgment the best
interest of such drunkard shall be promoted thereby; and the said
judge of the circuit court shall thereupon make an order that the
expense of such treatment be paid out of the treasury of the county
or the city of Baltimore, as the case may be, in the same manner
that other claims against such county or city of Baltimore for the
administration of justice are paid; provided, that no county or city
of Baltimore shall be required to send the same habitual drunkard to
any institution for the medical treatment of drunkenness a second
time at its expense.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the several Boards of
County Commissioners, the County Councils, and the Department
of Public Welfare in Baltimore City, as the case may be, are author-
ized and directed after the effective date of this Act to collect
and account for all monies as due to them respectively pursuant to
the sections contained in this Act prior to its enactment, as if it
had not been enacted.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That from and after July 1,
1958, the Department of Mental Hygiene is authorized and directed to
adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as in its judgment
and discretion will progressively and effectively bring the provisions
of this Act into full effect, within a minimum of inconvenience to
State and local offices, agencies and officials, during the year begin-