Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-05-20

+ the state because their relatives
want to get rid of them. IT the.
County Commission of Lunacy, as
sisted by the two physicians, and
upon the evidence offered, find that
the person suspected is insane and
ought to be treated in a hospital,
they will commit him; but upon the
trial before the commission the sus-
pected person is required to be as
sisted by a guardian ad Item, who
will see that he has a fair hearing.
Before the person committed by
the County Commission can be reg
istered as a patient in any OF the
hospitals he is to have an examlna-
ton by the superintendent and the
assistant physicians of the hospital
who will again pass upon his sanity,
and if he is insane will detain him
in the institution, and if he is not
insane will return him to the county.
Another excellent feature of the
new law is that it provides that per
sons found insane shall be promptly
sent to a hospital. 1t is of the ut
most Importance that an insane
person should receive proper treat
ment at the earliest possible mo-
ment. 1t is great mistake for
friends and relatives of insane to
keep them at home where they can
not be properly treated, for few
days may cause an acute case to
become chronic, and render the at
ficted person incurable.
Another humane provision of the
new law is the prohibition against
keeping insane persons in jail,
which the law hereafter forbids, eN-
cept in extremely violent cases.
Provision is made that the County
Commission may communicate with
the nearest hospital by telegraph or
telephone for the admission of in
sane persons.
Another feature is that respect
ing voluntary patients. 1t provides
that any resident of the state who
is in the early stages of insanity,
or believes himself about to become
insane, or any epileptic person who
is not insane, may make application
to be treated as voluntary patient.
The application may be made on
behalf of any such person by any
relative or friend or guardian, who
may also make application on be-
half of any idiot, imbecile or other
incurable mental defective for his
care and treatment in a state hos
pital as voluntary patient. These
voluntary patients will be received
into the hospitals upon such terms
and conditions as to the payment
for their treatment and maintenance
as may be agreed upon with the
State Board of Control.
Provision is made for the dis
charge of patients from any of the
hospitals, and for their release on
parole or on bond or otherwise.
The law also makes full provision
that in case any person confined in
a hospital, or any relative or friend
of such person who believes that he
is not insane, may have prompt ac-
cess to the courts for relief.
No private hospital for the care
and treatment of the insane for
compensation can be established
without the permission of the State
Board of Control any such private
hospital shall be subject to the in
spection and control Of that Board,
which is given authority to revoke
the permit for good cause after
reasonable notice
Another excellent provision to
prohibit the railroading of persons
into the asylums for the insane is
that of laying a heavy penalty upon
any physician who shall make a GER
tifcate respecting the sanity of any
person without having made the ex-
animation as provided by law, and
who shall make any statement in
any such certificate maliciously for
the purpose of having any person
declared insane; and also upon any
person who shall maliciously at
tempt to have any person declared
insane.
The new law contains provisions
for the protection of the patients
in the hospitals, and of the grounds
about them from trespassers. and
the annoying of patients by out
siders. 1t also protects the female
patients in these institutions by
heavy penalties and makes offenses
against them felonies.
1t is provided that when any per-
son is committed to an asylum the