Chap. 319.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 1660 of the Code of Vir
ginia, in relation to hospitals for the insane, so as to provide proper anc
separate custody of insane convicts and certain other insane persons.

Approved March 17, 1910.
1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section

sixteen hundred and sixty of the Code of Virginia be amended and re-
enacted so as to read as follows: :
§1660. The State hospitals for the insane, established at Williams-
burg, Staunton, Marion and Petersburg shall be continued as established
and located, and shall continue to be under the management of boards of
directors.

There shall be constructed on the premises of the Southwestern State
Hospital, at Marion, one of the State hospitals for the white insane, and
on the premises of the Central State Hospital for the colored insane, at
Petersburg, a strong and secure building at each of these hospitals, at a
cost not to exceed seven thousand dollars for each building, to be known
as the ward for the criminal insane at each of said hospitals, used for
the purpose of holding in custody and caring for such persons as may be
declared insane after conviction of any crime and while serving sentence
therefor in the penitentiary, or in any of the other penal institution, or
in any of the reformatories or elsewhere; and persons, in custody under
complaint or indictment for any crime, who, prior to trial, are, or may
be, adjudged insane; such persons in custody under complaint or indict-
ment for any crime as the court may, in its discretion, order there for
proper care and observation, pending the determination of their mental
condition, and persons who have been adjudged insane at the time when,
but for such insanity, they would have been tried; and also insane per-
sons of any of the foregoing classes, and habitually dangerous or homi-
cidal patients who are, or may hereafter be, confined in any State hos-
pital, and who, in the judgment of the specia) board of directors and the
superintendent of such hospital, should be transferred to the said de-
partment.

2. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent or in conflict with this act
are hereby repealed. An emergency existing on account of there being
no proper provision at any of the State hospitals for the custody and care
of the criminal insane, and the hospitals being crowded, this is declared
an emergency act, and shall be in force from its passage.