111713-1927-Supplementary-Draft-Bill--Asylums-Amendment — Page 4

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3. Section 3 of this Ordinance repeals section 7 of the principal Ordinance and substitutes a new section therefor. The section in question deals with the procedure for removal of a person to an asylum for temporary detention and observation. The principal features of the new see- tion 7 are that it requires both the application, and the order of the magistrate or justice of the peace, to be in a statutory form, and that it lays down that, except in case of necessity, no order shall be made until an attempt has been made to communicate with some relative of the patient. The insistence on the use of definite statutory forms will undoubtedly tend to greater strictness and particularity. draft containing the proposed forms is published with this draft Ordinance. The opportunity is taken to make it clear that the seven days detention for the purpose of observation shall date from and including the date of the order.

1. Section E of this Ordinaure also deals with the same point of the exact duration of the period of detention for observation, and it amends section 8 of the principal. Ordi- nance on this point.

5. Section 5 of this Ordinance makes two technical amendments in section 9 of the principal Ordinance. These amendments are necessary because the forms will in future be prescribed by Order in Council.

6. Section 6 repeals section 10 of the principal Ordi- nance and substitutes a new section which allows two extensions of 7 days each in addition to the initial period of 7 days detention for observation. The Government has been advised that a period of 14 days may not be enough in some cases, but that the whole period of deten- tion for observation should not exceed 21 days in all,

7. Section 7 of this Ordinance repeals section 11 of the principal Ordinance and substitutes a new section. The section in question deals with the removal from an ordi- mary hospital to an asylum of patients who show symptoms of suffering from delirium tremens. The principal features of the new section 11 are as follows :—

() the order for removal must be made in a definite

statutory formn:

(b) the new section is not confined to the Govern

ment Civil Hospital;

()the power to order removal is not confined to the Superintendent of the hospital but may be exercised by the senior medical officer for the time being present in the hospital and on its staff. It is obvious that it might be necessary 10 act during the temporary absence of the superintendent.

() the power to order removal from a hospital to an asylum is confined to the person who either is a registered medical practitioner or is a person who is by law deemed to be a registered medical practitioner.

The persons who come under the latter category are (1) Government medical officers, (ii) medical officers of His Majesty's Navy or Army serving in the Colony on full pay, and (iii) professors of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong. The reference to professors of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong is inserted here in anticipation of a proposed ameud- ment of section 19 of the Medical Registration Ordinance, 1884, Ordinance No. 1 of 1881.

8. Section 8 of this Ordinance repeals section 15 of the principal Ordinance and substitutes a new section therefor* The section in question deals with the treatment of pri- soners of ansound mind.

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