The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1872-06-20
CHAPTER 1873.
AN ACT to protect the Insane,

AN ACT to protect the Insane.
SECTION 1. BE 10 enacted by the
General assembly IT the State OF LoWa,
That there shall be Visiting Com
mfttee OF three appointed by the Gov
efnOr. to visit the Insane AsyIums OF
the State at their discretion, with
power to send for persons aud papers,
aud 10 examine witnesses on oath, to
ascertain whether any Of the inmate
are improperly detained IN the Hos
pital, or unjustly placed there, and
whether the inmates are humanely
aud kindly treated, with full power
to correct any abuses found 10 exist:
and any injury inflicted upon the in
sane shall be treated AZ an onense,
misdemeanOr, or crime, as the like Of
Tense would he regarded when inflict-
ed upon any other citizen outside OF
the insane asylums. They shall have
power 10 discharge any attendant or
employee who il found to have been
guilty Of lnisdemean0r, meriting such
discharge; and all these trials for mis-
demeauOr, 9tiense, or crime, the testi-
mony Of patients shall he taken and
considered for what it IL worth. oand
no employee at the Asylum shall be
allowed to sit upon any jury before
whom these Cases are tried. Said
Committee shall make an annual re-
port to the Governor Of the State.
SEC. 2. The names OF this visiting
committee, and their post-oflice adj
dress, shall be kept posted in every
ward In the asylum, aud every in
mate Of the asylum shall he allowed
to write when and what they please
to this committee, and to any other
person they may choose.
H'0rided, The Superintendent may,
II he think proper, send letters adj
dressed to other parties, to the visiting
committee for inspection be ore for
wsrded to the indivi !ual addressed.
And any member of this connitiee
who shall neglect to heed the calls Of
the patient to him for protection,
when proved to have been needed,
shall be deemed unfii for his Office, and
shall be discharged by the Governor.
SEC. 3. Each. and every person,
codfined In any Insane asylum within
the State Of Iowa, shall be furnished
by the Superintendent or party having
charge OF such person at least once in
each week while so confined, with
suitable materials for writing, enclos-
ing, sealing, and mailing letters:
Provided. They request the same,
unless ordered by tile visiting commit
tee, which order shall continue in
E'~ee until .ouaiern,a,ssiea by -aii
committee.
SIC 4. II is hereby made the duty
ot the Superintendent or party having
charge 81 any person under confine-
nienl 10 receive, II requested to do so
by the person so con fined, at least one
letter in each week withou, opening
OF reading the same, aud without dc
lay 10 deposit it IN a postoiiice for
transmittal, by mail. with "A proper
postage stamp attached thereto.
SEC. D. Ii is hereby made the duty
Of the Superintendent, or par ) having
charge OF any person confined on ac-
count Of insanity To deliver to said per- I
son any letter or writing to him or her |
directed. without opening or reading I
the same: PrOUi2ed, This letter has +
been fvwar'ird by this Visiting Com
mittee.
Size o. In the event OF the sudden
and mysterious death Of any person SO
a coroner's inquest shall be
held AS provided for by law in other
cases.
SEC. T. Any person negledting to
comply with, or willfuliy aud know
ingiy violating any Of the provisions
Of this act, shall upon conviction
thereof, he punished by imprisonment,
for "A term not exceeding three Years,
or by fine not exceeding ohr thousand
dollars. or hy both fine and imprison-
lnent, in the discretion If he court,
md by ilelig' biiity for thi. office la
future, aud upon trial had for such
Dilrnse, the testimony Of any person,
insane or otherwise, shall lie
taken and considered for what it is
worth.
SEC. s. at least one member OF
said committee shall visit the Asylum
For the Insane every mouth.
SEC. .. That there shall be allowed
~ salary ofsucl Visiting Committee,
he sum Of five dollars per dry for the
lime taken In visiting such Insane
Asylums, ~ q the same mileage, n IL
now by law ailowei member. IL the
General Assembly.
Aud the disbursing officer al suo.
insane asylum. shall pay the per diem
and mileage allowed such Visiting
his act, and each member Of such
Visiting Committee shall certify under
oath to such disbursing officer, the
lumber of days he has served, aud
he Number of mi es travelled.
SEC. 10. This act being deemed #
Importance. shall take eff
'sct aud be in force from an 4 after t0O
Deeks publication In the Daily Iowa
State Register. and Leader, newspa-
Ders published al Des Moines, Iowa.
Approved, April %, 1872.
hereby certify that the foregoing
Act was published in the Daily State
Leader April %. and in the Daily
Iowa State Register "A prii a6 1877