ALABAMA. GOVERNMENT OF ASYLUM. 1. Establishment of asylum. 4. Government vested in board of 5. Board of trustees, appointment, ADMISSION AND SUPPORT. 7. Counties entitled to patients in ratio of insane population, census required. 8. Indigent patients chargeable with actual cost; private patients in measure with care. 9. Preference given to indigent pa- 11. Unexpended moneys returned. terrogatories, examination, and 16. Condition of patients as to cleanliness. 17. Expenses of commitment paid by county. EXAMINATION OF CRIMINAL INSANE. 18. Examination of acquitted criminals. 19. Examination of person charged with crime; discharge when sane. 20. Examination of persons charged with misdemeanors. 21. County commissioners may act instead of judge. DISCHARGE FROM ASYLUM. 22. Indigent patients entitled to two years; unless then benefited, discharged. 23. Expenses of removal borne by county. 24. Discharged patients supplied with clothing and money. INSANE CONVICTS. 25. Physician of penitentiary to report 26. Insane convicts removed to asylum. prison. 29. Convict insane at expiration of term transferred to asylum. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. 30. Annual appropriation for hospital. 32. Records of hospital to be filed. state of Alabama a state hos Code of 1876. 1. There is established in the pital for the care and proper treatment of insane persons, which is located in the county of Tuska- £140 loosa, and near the city of Tuskaloosa. Establishment of hospital. 2. Such institution is a body corporate and politic, under the name and style of "The Alabama Insane Hos- Is a body corpital," and by that name may sue and be sued; porate. may contract and be bound; have, possess and enjoy real and personal property, and have perpetual succession; may have and use a common seal, and break or alter the same at pleas ure; and for the purposes herein set forth, have all powers properly incident to corporations of such nature; and suits for and against such corporations may be brought in the appropriate courts of the county of Tuskaloosa. § 1472. Property of corporation. 3. The property of such corporation consists of such funds as have been or may be provided by the state for the establishment and support of such hospital, and of such other money, property and assets as may be acquired by such corporation by gift, devise, bequest or otherwise, and the profits thereof, and of the land which has been procured, and buildings which have been or may be erected, and of the other property which has been acquired, to be used for the care, maintenance, treatment and cure of insane persons. 4. The affairs of the corporation must be managed and governed by a board of trustees, consisting of a president and six others, and not less than four of the seven shall constitute a quorum, a majority of which shall decide in all cases, and may bind the corporation. § 1473. § 1474. trustees, how chosen; quali dence, term, 5. The president and trustees must be nominated by the governor, as often as necessary, to the senate for its President and confirmation or rejection, and the appointment is fications, resi- completed by the confirmation of such nomination. compensation, The governor must temporarily fill all vacancies in removal. the recess of the senate, and his appointment shall continue till the action of the senate be had thereon. They must be selected with a view to their capacity for the management of the hospital. Three of the trustees, or the president and two trustees, must be residents of Tuskaloosa county, or of· a county adjoining it, and the remainder must be residents of other parts of the state. The present arrangement of the commencement and end of the respective terms of the six trustees, whereby the term of [two] trustees shall expire at the termination of each successive period of two years, is continued. The term of the president and each of the trustees is six years, except where a trustee is appointed to fill a vacancy, in which event the appointment is made for the unexpired term of the vacated office. All appointments made by the governor, before confirmation by the senate, are temporary filling of vacan- cies until they are confirmed. The governor has power to remove the president or a trustee for cause deemed sufficient by him. The senate may likewise make such removal at any time by a vote of a majority of the whole body. The president and trustees receive no other compensation than the amount of traveling expenses actually paid out while attending on the business of the corporation. § 1475. Power and tees; superin qualifications, powers, sal 6. The president and trustees have power to make all regulations and by-laws for the government of the corporation, and shall put the hospital in use for the support, treatment and cure of the insane; they must appoint a secretary and treasurer, and such term.removal, other officers and agents as may be necessary; they ary; treasurer. must appoint a superintendent of the hospital, who shall have in charge the conducting of the same. The superintendent must be a skilful physician, and bear an unblemished moral character; he must have received an enlightened and thorough professional education; be possessed of prompt business habits, and be of a humane, kindly disposition; he must be a married man, and must, with his family, reside constantly in the institution. Such superintendent must be appointed for a term not less than eight years, and must not be removed, except for incompetency, fully shown and declared, or for the neglect and infidelity to the trust reposed in him. Such superintendent must appoint all such assistant physicians, nurses, servants and agents as by the rules of the institution shall be allowed and wanted; and he shall have full control over them, and may discharge them at pleasure; he shall direct their several duties, and see to the performance therof; and he must be responsible to the board for the proper performance of those duties. The trustees must determine what salaries and compensation shall be paid to the superintendent and other officers, servants and agents employed, and may remove any of them. The board must hold an annual meeting, and also monthly meetings, and such other meetings as they may provide. The monthly meetings may be held by the three trustees residing near the hospital, for all ordinary purposes, to act under the authority of the board, and each, in rotation, shall serve one month to visit the hospital once a week, and the monthly board must see that the establishment is at all times supplied with provisions, fuel, water, clothing, medicines, implements, and all other security of the patients. The board, at its annual meetings, must rigidly examine into the manner in which the hospital is and has been conducted, and must investigate the condition of every department of it. The treasurer must receive and pay out the moneys of the corporation, and must report annually to the secretary of state all sums received and paid out by him. § 1476. Insane received from coun ties in propor 7. The insane patients must be received from the several counties in this state in the ratio of their insane population, and the several counties must be so tion to insane entitled; but they must report to the secretary of provided, etc. state the census of their insane persons respectively, such reports to be made annually by the judge of the probate court. population, § 1477. Expenses of patients; pub lication of by laws and regu lations; bonds officers. of agents and 8. Persons in indigent circumstances, while residing in the hospital, and whether in their own right, or by reason of the state bearing their expenses, must be chargeable with no more than the actual cost for clothing, nursing, board and medical attendance. Patients whose expenses are payable by themselves or friends, and who are not chargeable upon the counties, must pay in measure with the care received and according to the regulations which may be adopted. The board must publish the by-laws and regulations of the institution, and cause them, from time to time, to be circulated in the state for general information. They may provide for taking bond and security from all their agents and officers, conditioned for the faithful discharge of the duties of their office. § 1478. 9. In order of admission the indigent insane must have precedence of the rich, and recent cases of both classes must have precedence over those of long standing; but paying patients from other states may be received into the hospital, should vacancies occur unclaimed by natives or residents of Alabama. 10. Before any applicant is received in the hospital as a paying patient, there must be produced to the superintendent: § 1479, as amended, 1876, p. 193. Patients are received. (1) A sufficient bond, as hereinafter described. (2) Three months' charges must be paid in advance. (3) A certificate from one or more respectable physicians, declaring that in their opinion the applicant is insane. T (4) Application must be made to the superintendent, and the following interrogatories answered before the patient is presented for admission : I. Name, sex and age of the person for whom application is made? II. How long since derangement of mind was first suspected? III. How long has it been plainly and openly manifested? IV. Was it gradual or sudden in its approach? V. What is the bodily condition of the patient-vigorous and healthy, or helpless and diseased? VI. Has the patient epileptic convulsions, or paralysis in any form? VII. Is the patient filthy or cleanly in dress and personal habits? VIII. Is the patient noisy, violent, dangerous or destructive? IX. What is the character of the insanity-how exhibited, the supposed cause thereof, and any other important facts bearing upon the case? The bond and certificate before mentioned must be substantially as follows: "Know all men by these presents, that we of the county of and , in the state of Alabama, are held and firmly bound unto the Alabama Insane Hospital in the hundred dollars, for the payment of which penal sum of day of , A. D." we hereby bind ourselves, jointly and severally. "Sealed with our seals and dated this The condition of the above obligation is as follows: "Whereas, of the county aforesaid, is about to be admitted as a paying patient into said hospital; now, if while he shall remain therein the undersigned shall constantly supply him with suitable clothing, and pay all charges of said hospital against him quarterly, in advance, and whenever his removal shall be required, immediately remove him; and if he shall escape from the hospital, pay all reasonable charges incurred in restoring him; and if he die therein, pay all reasonable expenses incurred for his funeral; and in case of failure to perform promptly and faithfully any of the above conditions, pay all losses that accrue to said hospital by litigation, collector's fees or otherwise, then this obligation shall be void, otherwise to remain in full force. |