TITLE II.-THE PRIVATE INSANE ASYLUMS.

Article 17. Whoever shall establish or erect a private insane asylum, must solicit permission from the prefect of the province wherein the institution is to be located.

Article 18. He must state: First, that he is of age, and has full rights of citizenship. Second, that he has led a good and moral life; this shall be attested by a certificate from the mayor of the community in which he has resided for the last three years. Third, that he is a doctor of medicine.

Article 19. If the petitioner is not a doctor of medicine, he must state that he has engaged a physician who will supervise the medical department of the asylum. This physician shall be subject to the approval of the prefect, who may at any time discharge him, with the approval of the minister of the interior.

Article 20. The petitioner must state in his petition the number and sex of the patients that can be received in the establishment: this shall be mentioned in the authorization papers.

Article 21. He must state whether he will receive only insane patients, or other patients also. In the latter case he must show in the plan of the establishment, what parts are set aside for the insane, and that such patients will be separate from other patients.

Article 22. He must show: First, that the location of the asylum is not unhealthy, and that the patients will not be annoyed by a noisy neighborhood. Second, that there will be sufficient good and fresh water. Third, that it is possible to separate the sexes, and the children from adults, and that the convalescent, the peaceable, the dangerous, and the epileptic patients can all be separated from each other. Fourth, that the patients have separate apartments. Fifth, that precautions have been taken to secure good order in the establishment.

Article 23. He must likewise state that sufficient guarantees will be furnished for the good morals of the officers of the establishment, and for the security of the patients.

Article 24. Every director of a private asylum, before entering upon his duties, must furnish security, the amount of which shall be determined by the minister of the interior.

Article 25. This security shall be paid in cash into the

treasury of the institution, and shall be employed, as stated in article 26, for the benefit of the patient.

Article 26. When, for any reason, the managing officers of a private insane asylum are suspended, the prefect may appoint a provisionary manager, to fill the place of a responsible director in whose hands the establishment, under the mandate of the prefect, shall disburse the security, in part, or in whole, for the benefit of the insane.

Article 27. Every director of a private insane asylum, may appoint, from the first, a person to take his place in case he should be compelled to give it up. But this provision shall be good for a month only after the director has resigned, unless prolonged by special authority from the prefect.

Article 28. In case the director should resign without having made such an appointment, his heirs may appoint within twenty-four hours a person to take his place temporarily. If they do not, the prefect himself shall make the appointment. The heirs of the director may within a month nominate a new director.

Article 29. When the director of a private asylum wishes to receive more patients than he is entitled to, he must make a special application to that effect, and must show that the enlarged, original, or newly constructed buildings, and all their arrangements, make the accommodations of a greater number possible.

Article 30. Every director of a private asylum must reside on premises, and likewise the doctor, who shall be appointed as described in article 19.

Article 31. The authority or license may be withdrawn: First, when the director is deprived of his right of citizenship. Second, when he receives more patients than he is entitled to. Third, when his patients belong to a sex which he is not permitted to receive. Fourth, when he receives patients of a different nature than he is entitled to receive. Fifth, when alterations are made on the premises, which will damage the interests of patients. Sixth, and seventh, when the patients are treated in a manner not humane or not in accordance with good morals. Eighth, when the physician who has been approved of by the administrator, has been replaced by another

physician. Ninth, when the physician acts contrary to article eighth, of the law of June 30th, 1838.

Article 32. Law Dec. 18, 1839. Pending an investigation which may result in the withdrawal of the license, the prefect may temporarily suspend the director and appoint a provisionary manager, in accordance with article twenty-sixth.

Article 34. Ibid. Public or private asylums, that have only male patients must employ male attendants only; those that have female patients must employ female attendants only.

BELGIUM.

EXTRACT FROM INSANE LAWS, JUNE 18TH, 1850. 1. ADMISSION, ETC.

Belgium authorizes the family treatment, and regards as an insane asylum any house where the insane are treated by a person that is not the guardian, curator or provsionary administrator.

Admission may take place only in the following cases:

(1) Upon the request of the tutor of an irresponsible person, accompanied by the decision of the family council, according to Art. 510 of the Civil Code. Where irresponsibility has not been pronounced, the provisionary administrator may make the request, adding to it the necessary judgment.

(2) Upon a request for admission by the authorities of the domicile of a pauper insane.

(3) Upon the requisition made by the college of burgomasters; in cases of urgency, the justices of the peace of the domicile of the insane person, and the attorney-general, are notified within three days, of such admission.

(4) Upon the requisition of the public ministry, in the case of accused or arrested persons who are afflicted with insanity. (5) Upon the demand of any interested party, indicating the nature of the relation or degree of relationship that exists between such party and the insane. In this case, the request ought to be signed by the burgomaster.

(6) By virtue of a resolution of the permanent deputation of the provincial council, in the cases Nos. 2, 3, and 5, preceding. In case of urgency, the governor alone may issue the resolution, but it shall be before the permanent deputation at their next session.

In all of the above cases except the first, a physician's certificate must be produced, which certificate shall have been

dated within two weeks and issued by a physician who is in no way connected with the asylum. However, in cases of urgency, this certificate may be furnished within twenty-four hours after the admission.

The superintendent of the asylum must, within twenty-four hours after the admission, advise: 1st, the governor of the province; 2d, the attorney-general of the arrondissement; 3d, the justice of the peace of the county; 4th, the burgomaster of the community; 5th, the committee of surveillance of the asylum. The family, also, of the insane person must be notified, when the admission has been effected ex-officio by the legal authorities.

The patient is visited, during the first five days, by the physician of the asylum, who on the sixth day communicates his observations to the attorney-general.

II. SURVEILLANCE, ETC.

The asylums are visited at irregular intervals: 1st, once in every six months by the burgomaster of the community; 2d, once in every three months by the attorney-general of the arrondissement (procureur du roi de l'arrondissment); 3d, once annually by the governor of the province, or by a member of the permanent deputation of the provincial council delegated by the governor.