110 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 36

and any person who may be alleged to be an habitual drunkard may
dispense with the legal proceedings 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
institution 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 habitual drunkard, incapable of taking care of
himself, it shall be the duty of the court to appoint a committee
of such person, and such committee shall, with the written assent
and approbation of the court, have the power of confining such
person in any suitable institution, for such length of time, as the
court may, in writing, approve; but said committee, with the written
assent and approbation of the court, may at any time release from
confinement said habitual drunkard, and the period of confinement
of said habitual drunkard may, by the said committee, with the
written assent and approbation of the court, be from time to time
extended, for such period as may be necessary for his complete
reformation; and the words "habitual drunkard", as used in this
section, shall be construed to embrace any person who may be
habitually addicted to the use of alcohol, opium, cocaine, morphine
or any other intoxicant.

51. Where an infant is entitled to any real or personal property
in this State, of any kind, or entitled to a reversion, vested or con-
tingent remainder, or an executory devise in any such property,
or any use, trust or equitable interest therein, the court may, if it
shall appear to be for the benefit and advantage of such infant,
decree a sale thereof [, if the provisions of Section 52 are com-
plied with. ] in a proceeding in accordance with the Maryland Rules.

53. In all cases where it shall appear to the court [by proof, as
provided in Section 52, ] in a proceeding in accordance with the
Maryland Rules, that it would be for the benefit and advantage of
an infant to raise money by mortgage for improvements and repairs,
made or to be made, to his real property, or for monies spent or
to be spent for the maintenance, support and education of the
infant, or for monies spent or to be spent for the purchase of
equipment, stock, including livestock, for seeds, fertilizer, cost of
cultivating and harvesting crops necessary for the maintenance,
upkeep and operation of the real property intended to be encum-
bered, or to pay any charges, liens or encumbrances thereon, the
court may, on application of the guardian or next friend of such
infant decree the conveyance of any interest, estate or term of
years of such infant in any lands or real estate or personal property
by way of mortgage, in such form and on such conditions as the court
may direct; and the court may direct the guardian of such infant
to execute such conveyance. The provisions of this section are to
apply to the interest or estate which any infant may hold in common
or jointly with any person of full age, and to all interests or estates
to which any infant may be entitled in reversion, remainder or
otherwise, and the court may decree that the interest of the tenant
of the particular estate, or the holder of the prior remainders may be
mortgaged with the consent of such tenant or holder; and the