Chap. 26.—An ACT to amend and re-enact Sections 14 and 17, of Chap-
ter 82, Code of 1878, in reference to examination of lunatics.

Approved February 2, 1874.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
sections fourteen and seventeen, of chapter eighty-two, Code
of eighteen hundred and seventy-three, be amended and re-
enacted, so as to read as follows:

““§ 14. Any justice who shall suspect any person in his
county or corporation to be a lunatic, shall issue his warrant
ordering such person to be brought before him. He and two
other justices shall enquire whether such person be a lunatic,
and for that purpose summon his physician (if any), and any
other witnesses. In addition to any other questions, they
shall propound so many of the following as may be applica-
ble to the case: First. What is the patient’s age, and where
born? Second. Is he married; if so, how many children has
he? Third. What are his habits, occupation, and reputed
property? Fourth. How long since indications of insanity
appeared? Fifth. What were they? Sixth. Does the dis-
ease appear to increase? Seventh. Are there periodical ex-
acerbations, any lucid intervals, and of what duration?
Eighth. Is his derangement evinced on one or on several
subjects ; what are they? Ninth. What is the supposed cause
of his disease? Tenth. What change is there in his bodily
condition since the attack? Eleventh. Has there been a
former attack; where, and of what duration? Twelfth. Has
he shown any disposition to commit violence to himself or
others? Thirteenth. Whether any, and what restraint, haa
been imposed on him? Fourteenth. If any, what connexions
of his have been insane; were his parents or grandparents
blood relations; if so, in what degree? Fifteenth. Has he
had any bodily disease, from suppression of evacuations, erup-
tions, sores, injuries, or the like, and what is its history? Six-
teenth. What curative means have been pursued, and their
effect; and especially if depleting remedies, and to what ex-
tent, have been used? Seventeenth. How many attacks of
insanity, and duration of wach? Eighteenth. Date of first
attack? Nineteenth. Duration of present attack? Twen-
tieth. Present condition of bodily health? Twenty-first. Epi-
leptic, paralytic, or addicted to masturbation? Twenty-
second. Noisy, filthy, quarrelsome, destructive?

Ҥ 17. The sheriff, or other officer to whom such order of
the justices is directed, shall immediately ascertain, by writ-
ten enquiry of the superintendent of the nearest appropriate
asylum, whether there is a vacancy in such asylum, and if
there be none, he shall make a similar enquiry of the other
superintendents. The sheriff or other officer presenting an
application for the admission of an insane person in his cus-
tody, shall forward therewith a copy of the interrogatories
and answers, as taken by the examining magistrates. Until
it is ascertained that there is a vacancy, the patient shall be
kept in the jail of the county or corporation.”

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.