§ MR. BUTTcalled attention to the recent case of Hall v. Semple in the Court of Queen's Bench, in which he said it was clearly proved that under a certificate signed by two doctors a perfectly sane man might be confined in a lunatic asylum, and asked the Home Secretary whether it was his intention to propose any alteration in the law relating to certificates required in cases of alleged insanity?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, he had communicated with the Commissioners in Lunacy on the case of Hall v. Semple, asking them whether, in their opinion, the evidence given on the trial suggested the necessity of any change in the law. They replied in the negative. The fact was, that the law was not observed in the case in question; the certificate, on the face of it, was irregular and not in conformity with law; and if the proprietor of the house to which Mr. Hall was taken had examined it, as he should have done, before admitting the alleged lunatic to his asylum, the case would not have occurred. The Commissioners thought the keeper of the asylum had been guilty of culpable neglect, and they had addressed a circular to all the proprietors of private asylums, calling their attention to the irregularity which had taken place. He hoped that the proceedings in the case of Hall v. Semple and the measures taken by the Commissioners would prevent the repetition of any such occurrence.