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Discharge by visitors of lunatics in licensed houses.
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78.—(1) If after two visits by two visitors to a house licensed by justices, it appears to the visitors that any patient is detained without sufficient cause, the visitors may make such order as they think fit for his discharge.
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(2) In the case of visits under this section, one of the visitors shall be a medical practitioner.
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(3) The two visits shall be made by the same visitors at an interval of not less than seven days.
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(4) Seven days’ notice of the second visit shall be given either by post or by an entry in the patients book to the manager of the house, who shall forthwith send by post a copy of the notice, in the case of a private patient to the person on whose petition the reception order was made, or by whom the last payment on account of the lunatic was made, and in the case of a pauper to the authority liable for his maintenance, and also to the clerk of the visitors of the house.
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(5) The visitors before making an order under this section shall examine the medical officer of the house as to his opinion respecting the fitness of the patient to be discharged, if he tenders himself for examination.
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(6) If after such examination an order for discharge is made, and the medical officer furnishes to the visitors a statement of his reasons against the discharge, they shall forthwith send the statement to the clerk of the visitors.
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(7) This section shall not apply to a lunatic so found by inquisition.
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(8) Every order under this section shall be signed by the visitors by whom it is made.
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