Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The Australasian medical directory and handbook / edited by Ludwig Bruck. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
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![Persons not found Lunatic hy Inquisition.—Where any person not found lunatic by inquisition is believed to be lunatic, any relative or friend of such person, or any householder, may give information on oath to a Resident Magistrate. 'J’hereupon the Resident Magistrate may either examine such person at liLs abfxle or elsewhere, and if he shall think there is reasonable cause for further examination of the .said i>erson, he shall call to his assistance two Medical Practitioners, who shall examine the said irerson, both separately and jointly. And if on such medical examination both Me<lical Practitioners shall be of opinion that the said pemon is a lunatic, and requires detention in an asylum, hospital, or licensed house, they shall severally sign the usual certificate. One Medical Certijicate sufficient in Special Cases.—Any person not found lunatic by inquisition may, under special circumstances, irreviou.sly to his examination by two Medical Pra,ctitioners, be received into an asylum, or licen-sed hou.se on the order of a Resident Magistrate, on the certificate of one Medical Practitioner, provide<l that the statement accompanying the order set forth such special circumstances ; and in every such case certificates by two other Medical Practitioners shall, after due ex- amination of such person, be signed and delivered to the Superintendent of such asylum, within three clear days of the reception of such pemon. Medical Certificates.—Every Medical Practitioner signing any certificate, .shall specify therein the facts upon which he shall have formed his opinion that the person to whom such certificate relates is a lunatic, distinguishing in such certificate facts observed by himself from facts communicated to him by others, and stating the names and addresses of the persons who have communicated the facts. No person shall be received into any asylum, hospital, or licensed house under any such certificate which purports to be founded only upon facts communicated by others. Every certificate by a Medical Practitioner shall bear date of the day when it was signed, and his la.st examination of the lunatic took place ; and no one shall be received into such a.sylum, or licensed house under an order more than seven days after the date of the certificate delivered along with the order to the superintendent of such asylum. Who not to Siyn Medical Certificates.—No Medical Practitioner who, or whose father, brother, sou, or partner, or assistant, shall apply under this Act for the recep- tion of a patient into an asylum, or licensed house, shall sign any certificate for the reception of the same patient, and no Medical Practitioner who, or whose father, brother, son, or partner, or assistant, shall be an officer in or a medical officer of an asylum, or licensed house, or wholly or partly the proprietor, or the mortgagee or lessee, or an officer or a regular professional attendant in a licensed house, or who shall receive a percentage on, or otherwise be interested in, the payments to be made by or on account of any lunatic received into an asylum, hospital, or licensed house, shall make any application or sign a certificate for the reception of a lunatic into any asylum, or licensed house. lF7w) not to tahe care of Lunatics.—No Medical Practitioner shall, himself or by his servants or agents, receive to board or lodge in any licensed house, or take the charge or care of, any peraon upon or under any medical certificate signed by himself, or his father, brother, son, or partner, or assistant; and no Jledical Practitioner, having signed any certificate for the reception of any person into a licensed house, shall be the regular jirofessional attendant of such person while under care or charge under such certificate. Statement of Previous Treatment.—-Every Medical Practitioner signing any certificate under or for the purposes of this Act for the reception of a lunatic into an a.sylum, or licensed hou.se, shall make and sign a statement in writing of the previous treatment of the lunatic to whom such certificate shall so relate, so far as the s.ame shall be known to such practitioner ; and such statement shall be delivered to the person receiving the lunatic into an asylum or liccn.sed house. Defective Certificates.—If, after the reception of .any lunatic into any .asylum, hospital, or licensed house, it appear th.at both or either of the metlical certific.ates upon which he shall have been received is or are in any rcsiicct incorrect or defective, such medical cerlificatcs may 1)C amended by and on tlic sole authority of the person or ])erson.s signing the same, at any time within twenty-one days next after the rece])- tion of such lun.atic. Provided th.at no such amendment .shall have any force or effect unless the s.ame sh.all receive the s.anction in wTiting of the Colonial Secretary. And if any such certificate shall be at any time deemed by the Inspector to be incorrect or defective, and the same .sh.all not be amended to his satisfaction within twenty-one (Lays .after the reccii)t by the 8ui>crintendent of such .asylum or liccn.sed house of a direction in writing fr.mi such Inspector re(iuiring amen.lment of tin' same, such Inspector may, if he see fit, make an order for the patient's discharge.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28034272_0030.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)