The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-05-27
COMMITMENT Of INSANE
A New Law which Makes Radical
Changes in Effect July 4.

Excellent Enactment.
Edwin Robert Walker of Trenton is
compiling forms for the commitment of
insane persons to hospitals, at the request
of the Boards of Managers of the State
Hospitals After the forms are ap-
proved by the boards they will be printed
for distribution. At the last session of
the Legislature an act in reference to the
commitment of the insane was passed
and signed by the Governor in April.
The act goes into effect the 4th of July
next. and it makes most radical change
in the manner of commitment of insane
persons into hospitals.
The forms under which patients are at
j present committed to asylums in this
State are exceedingly crude and meager,
stating merely conclusions and opinions
as to the lunacv of the persons, but the
new forms will be more elaborate, and
will provide for thorough description
of the insane patients, and a recital of
the facts which show the lunacy of the
parties, this being required by the
statute.
1t is believed that a circular will be
sent out by the boards. containing copy
of the act, complete set of forms with
explanations of the various modes of
procedure to be adopted to secure the
commitment of patients, so that physi-
clans and others having to do with these
matters, and who are laymen, will not
experience any difficulty in putting them
in proper shape.
Overseers of the poor will probably
have good deal to do under the act
mentioned, with referendP to ascertain
ing the legal settlement of INDECENT in
sane persons. Approval of the Boards
of Chosen Freeholders on the certificates
will no longer be required.
Patients can be committed to county
asylums as at present, but they must be
committed in the manner prescribed by
the act of last winter, and only Judges
of the Supreme Courts, Circuit Courts
and Courts of Common Pleas can ap-
prove the certificates upon which they
may be sent.
It is the purpose of the Boards of
Managers of the State Hospitals at
Trenton and Morris Plains TO have the
new forms widely and thoroughly cir
culated long prior to the Fourth of July,
so as to avoid mistakes and defective
commitments under the law.
In the first place, no one can be ad-
mitted except upon the request in writ
ing by a relative or other person interest
ed in the admission of the patient. This
is true now in reference to private or
pay patients, but not SO with insane pau
pers and insane indigents not paupers.
Hereafter like request in case of in
digent patients will have to be lodged at
the hospital, the same as in the case of
pay patients. The distinction between
paupers and poor persons not paupers is
abolished by the act, and all persons who
are not pay patients are to be admitted
as s.indigents.0
Besides the request for the admission
of the patient, there must be the certifi-
Gates of two physicians, under OATH set
ting forth the insanity of the person so to
committed, which certificates can be
made only by physicians of reputable
character, who are graduates of incor-
porated medical colleges, permanent
residents of this State, and who have
been in actual practice for at least FIVE
years, and no certificates shall be made
except after the personal examination of
the party alleged to be insane and accord
ing to forms to be approved by the
managers of the State hospitals.
The physicians certificate in every
case shall state the facts upon which his
opinion is founded, and any facts that
may be obtained concerning hereditary
faint, previous attack, or serious nervous
disorder of the person named in the GER
tificate.
No person committed upon request
and certificates, as just mentioned, shall
be detained in confinement longer than
fifteen days, unless within that time a
Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of
the Circuit Court or Court of Common
Pleas of the county in which the person
alleged to be insane resides, shall
approve of the certificates, certified
copies of which shall be presented for
the purpose, and the Justice or Judge
may. upon presentation of such papers,
institute inquiry and take proofs as to
the alleged insanity of any person whose
admission into any hospital is sought, be-
fore approving or disappearing Of such
certificates, and the Justice or Judge
may call jury to determine the ques-
ton of insanity, and shall have power to
compel the attendance of witnesses and
jurors.
Heretofore inquiry into the alleged in
sanity of patients has only been made in
cases where the commitments were of
pauper or INDECENT patients, but now an
Investigation will be made in every case,
into that of the private patients as well
as of the indigents.
At present only Judges of the Courts
of Common Pleas have jurisdiction in
these cases. The statute giving them
such jurisdiction was passed when there
were three Judges of the Common Pleas,
but as there is only one Judge Of such