Year: 1870

pointed aud qualities. In the tempcr
AIRY absence or inability to act Of two o.
the commissioners. the judge of the
circuit court, If present, may act In the
room of oEe Of such commissioners; o,
the commissioner present may call tc
his aida respectable practicing physi.
elan or lawyer, who after qualifying as
in other cases, must show the fact OF
such absence.


Sl6. Before entering upon the duties
of their office, the persons so appointed
shall take and subscribe an oath OF
affirmation to support the constition OF
the United States and of the State OF
Iowa, and to faithfully discharge their
duties according to law, as such COM
missioners; which obligation shall be
filed with the clerk of said court, who
shall enter memorandum thereof on
the record. They shall organize by
choosing one of their number president.
They shall hold their meetings for bust
ness at the Office Of the clerk Of said
court, unless, for good reasons, they
shall fix on same other place. If they
deem necessary or advisable, they may
hold sessions at such regular times as
they may fix. They shall also meet on
notice from the clerk.


IL. The term clerk, p" IS herein used,
means clerk Of said board of commissio-
ners, unless otherwise expressed. The
said clerk shall sign and give or issue
all notices, appointments, warrants, sub
p9nas or other process required to be
given or issued by the commissioners,
atlixing thereto his seal as clerk ofsaid
court He shall file and carefully pre-
serve in his Office all papers connected
with any inquest by the commissi oners
and property belonging to his officer,
with all notices, reports and other COM
munications. He shall keep separate
/ books in which to minute the proceed
/ ings of the board; aud his entries there
in shall be sufficiently full to show, with
| the papers filed complete record of
their Bindings, orders, and transactions
! The notices, reports and communica-
tions, herein required to he given or
made, may be sent by mail, unless
otherwise expressed or implied: and
! the fact and date of such sending, and of
| their reception, must be noted on the
| proper record.


Z Is. The said commissioners shall
have cosnizance Of all applications for
admission to the hospital, or for the
sale keeping otherwise, of insane per-
sons within their respective counties,
excepting in cases otherwise specially
counties, excepting in cases otherwise
specially provided for. For the pur-
pose of discharging the duties required
Of them, they shall have power to issue
subpnnas and compel obedience there
| to, to administer oaths and do any act
ofa court necessary and proper in the
premises.


Z IS. Applications for admission to
the hospital must be made in writing,
in the nature fan information, veriii-
ed by affidavit. Such Information must
allege, that the person in whose behalf
! the application is made, Is believed by
the informent to be insane, and a fit
subject for custody and treatment in the
hospital; that such person is found in
the county, and has legal settlement
therein, if such is known to be the fact
and if such settlement is not in the
county, where it is, if known; or where
it is believed to be, is the informant is
advised on the subject.


20. On the fling of an Information
as above provided, the commissioners
shall at once take steps to investigate
the grounds Of the information. For
this purpose they may require that the
person for whom such admission is
that the examination be had in his or
her presence; and they may issue their
warrant therefor, and provide for the
custody of such person until their inves-
tigation shall be concluded. Such war
rant may be executed by the sheriff or
any constable Of the county; or, If they
shall be OF opinion, from such prelimi-
nary inquiries as they shall make-and
in making which they shalt take the
testimony ofthe informant, if they deem
necessary or desirable, and Of other
witnesses if offered-that such course
would probably be injurious to such
person, or attended with no advantage
they may dispense with such presence.
In their examination they shall hear
testimony for and against such applica-
! ton, if any is offered Any citizen OF
the county, or any relative ofthe person
alleged to be insane, may appear and
resist the application and the parties may
appear by counsel, if they elect. The
commissioners, whether they decide to
dispense with the presence before them
of such person or not, shall appoint
some r,salar practioing physician of
the county, to visit or see such person
and MAKE a personal examination touch
| ing the truth of the allegations in the
information, and touching the actual
condition Of such person, and forthwith