Manual for the use of the Board of Health, Lunacy and Charity of Massachusetts : containing the general and special statutes under which its authority is exercised.

  • Massachusetts
Date:
1880
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Manual for the use of the Board of Health, Lunacy and Charity of Massachusetts : containing the general and special statutes under which its authority is exercised. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    it}', the court shall order such person to be committed to asyFumfor oue of the state lunatic hospitals during his natural life. life; Sect. 2. An}r person committed to a state lunatic hos- ^;s172'§ pital under the provisions of this act, may be discharged i^62.223> § therefrom by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the council, whenever he shall be satisfied, after discharged a hearing of the matter, that such person may be dis- ^ govern- charged without danger to others. [General Statutes, chap. 73.] Sect. 26. The governor may at any time cause to be removed from one of said hospitals to either of the others, such of the inmates thereof as circumstances or the necessities of the case may in his judgment require. [By the special Acts concerning the Boston Lunatic Hos- pital, cited on pages 91-92, the cit}T authorities of Boston may discharge patients from that hospital. This legisla- tion dates back to 1840. Sections 30 and 31 of General Statutes, chap. 73, given below, were first enacted in 1839, and are still in force, though seldom or never acted upon.] Sect. 30. Airy justice of the supreme judicial court or superior court, at any term held within and for the county in which either hospital is located, or the judge of the probate court of such count}', rnay on application in writing for the discharge from such hospital of any luna- tic who has remained there a sufficient time to make it appear that he is incurable, cause him to be delivered to the agents of any place in which he has his legal settle- ment, or to his friends when it appears that it would not be to his injury, and that he would be comfortably and safely provided for by an3''parent, kindred, friend, master, or guardian, or by the place of his legal settlement. When request for the purpose is made in writing by any person interested in such discharge, the judge before whom the trial is to be held shall issue a warrant to the sheriff of the county or his deputy, directing him to summon a jury of six lawful men to hear and determine the question whether such lunatic is incurable, and may be comfortable and safely provided for according to the terms of this section; the proceedings shall be the same in selecting the jurors, conducting the trial, and allowing the costs, as are provided in sections twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen. Sect. 31. If after the discharge of an incurable lu- natic under the preceding section, it is made to appear on complaint by any person under oath to the judge of the probate court for the county in which the lunatic has his legal settlement or is placed, that he is not comfortably supported, or that the public safety is endangered by him, said judge shall order his recommitment to said hospital. And the same proceedings may be had in determining these Removal from one hospital to another. 1856,247, §5. See 1863, 240, § 4. Removal of incurable lunatics. A jury may- be had. on request, &c. 1839,149, § 1. After re- moval, if not comfort- ably sup- ported, &c, may be re- committed. 1839,149, §2.
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