counts, and also into the general condition and management of any institution to the extent deemed necessary and specified in the order. The commission may endeavor to secure legislation from congress to provide more effectually for the removal of alien and nonresident insane and may expend a reasonable sum therefor from the moneys appropriated for the use of the hospitals. The commission may permit any religious or missionary corporation or society to erect a building on the grounds of any state hospital, for the holding of religious services, to be used exclusively for the benefit of the inmates and employees of the state hospital, subject to such conditions as may be imposed by the commission. (As amended by chapter 380 of the Laws of 1900, and chapter 107 of the Laws of 1906.)

§ 6-a. General powers as to state hospitals. The commission shall, subject to the powers hereinafter granted to boards of managers:

1. Have the general oversight of the state hospitals, and the control of all the property thereof, and shall see that the purposes ́of such hospitals are carried into effect by the boards of managers according to law.

2. Accept and hold in behalf of the state, if for the public interest, a grant, gift, devise or bequest, of money or property, to the state of New York, to the commission in lunacy, or to any state hospital or the managers thereof, heretofore or hereafter made in trust for the maintenance or support of an insane person or persons in a state hospital or hospitals, or for any other legitimate purpose connected with any such hospital or hospitals. The commission shall cause each said gift, grant, devise or bequest to be kept as a distinct fund, and shall invest the same in the manner provided by the laws of this state as the same now exist, or shall hereafter be enacted, relating to securities in which the deposits in savings banks may be invested. But the commission may, in its discretion, deposit in a proper trust company or savings bank during the continuance of the trust, any fund so left in trust for the life of a single person, and shall adopt rules and regulations governing the deposit, transfer or withdrawal of such fund. The commission shall on the expiration of any trust as provided in any instrument creating the same, dispose of the fund thereby created

in the manner provided in such instrument. The commission shall include in its annual report a statement showing what funds are so held by it and the condition thereof. (Added by chapter 26 of the Laws of 1902, and amended by chapter 490 of the Laws of 1905, and chapter 462 of the Laws of 1907.)

§ 7. Official visits.-- The commission, or a majority thereof, shall visit every such state hospital jointly or by a majority of the commission and every such private institution by one member of the commission at least twice in each calendar year. Such visits shall be made on such days and at such hours of the day or night, and for such length of time, as the visiting commissioner may choose. But each commissioner may make such other visits as he or the commission may deem necessary. Each visit shall include, to the fullest extent deemed necessary, an inspection of every part of each institution, and all the out-houses, places, buildings and grounds belonging thereto or used in connection therewith. The commissioners shall, from time to time, make an examination of all the records and methods of administration, the general and special dietary, the stores and methods of supply, and, as far as circumstances may permit, of every patient confined therein, especially those admitted since the preceding visit, giving such as may require it suitable opportunity to converse with the commissioners apart from the officers and attendants. They shall, as far as they deem necessary, examine the officers, attendants and other employes, and make such inquiries as will determine their fitness for their respective duties. At the next regular or special meeting of the commission, after any such visit, the visiting commissioners shall report the result thereof, with such recommendations for the better management or improvement of any such institution, as they may deem necessary. But such recommendations shall not be contrary to the doctrines of the particular school of medicine adopted by such institutions. The commissioners shall, at least once each year, at a time to be appointed by the commission, meet the managers of such institutions, or as many of the number as practicable, in conference, and consider, in detail, all questions of management and improvement of the institution, and they or one or more of them with the managers shall in

spect the institution or such parts thereof as they may deem necessary and shall also send to the managers, in writing, if approved by a majority of the commissioners, such recommendations. in regard to the management and improvement of the institution as they may deem necessary or desirable. (As amended by chapter 380 of the Laws of 1900, and chapter 490 of the Laws of 1905.)

§ 7-a. Visitation and inspection of certain institutions. Any member of the commission or the medical inspector may visit any sanitarium or other institution, wherein sick or infirm persons are received, cared for or treated, for compensation or hire, for the purpose of ascertaining whether insane persons are confined therein without authority, and contrary to the provisions of law. All persons having charge of, and connected with, any such sanitarium or institution-shall permit any member of the commission and the medical inspector to have free access to any portion thereof, and shall give such information and afford such facilities for inspection or inquiry, as the member of the commission, or the medical inspector, making such visit and inspection, may require. (Added by chapter 497 of the Laws of 1905.)

§ 8. Regulations and forms. The commission shall make such regulations in regard to the correspondence of the insane in custody as in its judgment will promote their interests, and it shall be the duty of the proper authorities of each institution to comply with and enforce such rules and regulations. All such insane shall be allowed to correspond without restriction with the county judge and district attorney of the county from which they were committed. The books of record and blank forms for the official use of the hospitals shall be uniform, and shall be approved by the commission.

§ 9. Annual report. The commission shall, annually, report to the legislature its acts and proceedings for the year ending September thirtieth last preceding, with such facts in regard to the management of the institutions for the insane as it may deem necessary for the information of the legislature, including estimates of the amounts required for the use of the state hospitals and the reasons therefor; and also the annual reports made to the commission by the board of managers, of each state hospital 37-VOL. 3

and by the state charities aid association. The commission shall determine from time to time the capacity of each of the state hospitals and shall incorporate a statement of such capacity in its annual report to the legislature. (As amended by chapter 380 of the Laws of 1900, chapter 26 of the Laws of 1902, and chapter 490 of the Laws of 1905.)

§ 10. State hospital districts; how defined. The state commission in lunacy shall divide the state into as many state hospital districts as there are state hospitals. No county shall be divided in such classification, unless more than one of the existing state hospitals be situated within such county. Whenever the commission shall deem it necessary to more conveniently care for the insane in the various hospitals, it may change the limits of such hospital districts. When a new state hospital shall be established it shall again divide the state into hospital districts. Before any change or re-establishment of hospital district shall be made, the board of managers of each hospital to be affected thereby shall be notified by the commission that they may be heard in regard thereto, at a time and place to be specified in said notice. Such hospital districts shall be so defined that the number of patients in each district shall be in proportion, as nearly as practicable, to the accommodations which are or may be provided by the state hospital or hospitals within such district. The commission may provide for the commitment of patients from any part of the city of New York to any state hospital located in the city of New York, or to the Kings park state hospital, or to the Central Islip state hospital. (As amended by chapter 634 of the Laws of 1900, chapter 26 of the Laws of 1902, and chapter 490 of the Laws of 1905.)

§ 11. Change of hospital districts and re-assignment of patients. -When a change or re-establishment of state hospital districts shall be made, or a new state hospital district created, the commission shall make a report thereof, designating the counties included within each district affected thereby, and file the same with the secretary of state, and send a copy to the managers and superintendent of each state hospital affected by such change, and to ch judge of a court of record, each county superintendent of

poor, and each county clerk in the state, affected by such

change, to be filed in his office. (As amended by chapter 26 of the Laws of 1902, and chapter 490 of the Laws of 1905.)

§ 12. Record of medical examiners. Any physician who receives a certificate as a medical examiner in lunacy shall file such original certificate in the office of the clerk of the county where he resides, and forward a certified copy thereof to the office of the commission within ten days after such certificate is granted. The commission shall keep in its office a record showing the name, residence and certificate of each duly qualified medical. examiner, and shall immediately file in its office, when received, each duly certified copy of a medical examiner's ecrtificate, and advise the examiner of its receipt and filing. No examiner shall be qualified until he has received from the commission an acknowledgment of the receipt and filing of his certificate.

§ 13. Record of patients. The commission shall keep in its office, and accessible only to the commissioners, their secretary and clerk, except by the consent of the commission or one of its members, or an order of a judge of a court of record, a record showing:

1. The name, residence, sex, age, nativity, occupation, civil condition and date of commitment of every patient in custody in the several institutions for the care and treatment of insane persons in the state, and the name and residence of the person making the petition for commitment, and of the persons signing such medical certificate, and of the judge making the order of commit

ment.

2. The name of the institution where each patient is confined, the date of admission, and whether brought from home or another institution, and if from another institution, the name of such institution, by whom brought, and the patient's condition.

3. The date of the discharge of each patient from such institution since the fifteenth day of May, eighteen hundred and eightynine, and whether recovered, improved or unimproved, and to whose care committed.

4. If transferred, for what cause, and to what institution; and if dead, the date and cause of death.

§ 14. Institutions to furnish information to commission.--The authorities of the several institutions for the insane shall furnish