“It is of vital importance that no mistake or misconception should exist, and that every medical man who may be applied to for advice on the subject of lunacy, and every relative and friend of any lunatic, as well as every magistrate and parish officer (each of whom may be called upon to act in cases of this sort), should know and be well assured that, according to law, any person of unsound mind, whether he be pronounced dangerous or not, may legally and properly be placed in a county asylum, lunatic hospital, or licensed house, on the authority of the preliminary order and certificates prescribed by the Acts. “Upon the whole, it appears that the power to restrain and confine a lunatic is limited at common law to cases in which it would be dangerous, either as regards others or himself, for the lunatic to be at large; but that the power to place and detain a lunatic in a registered hospital or licensed or other house, under an order and medical certificates duly made and obtained in accordance with the Lunacy Acts, is not so limited.” The terms of the Lunacy Act, 1890, are as follows: “Subject to the exceptions in this Act mentioned a person shall not be received or detained as a lunatic, as a single patient, unless under a reception order by a judicial authority.” “Every person who, except under the provisions of the Act, receives or detains a lunatic or an alleged lunatic in an institution for lunatics, or for payment takes charge of, receives to board or lodge, or detains a lunatic or alleged lunatic in an unlicensed house, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and in the latter case shall also be liable to a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds.” “Except under the provisions of this Act, it shall not be lawful for any person to receive or detain two or more lunatics in any house, unless the house is an institution for lunatics or a workhouse.” “Any person who receives or detains two or more lunatics in any house except as aforesaid shall be guilty of a misdemeanour.” It is therefore unlawful to receive a lunatic or alleged lunatic except by reception order. Only one can be received into a private house, and a reception order is required. No medical man should receive a lunatic into residence without the necessary reception order. All the statutory regulations are demanded for a single case, and the private house is subject to visitation and inspection. It is also important to remember that if any one receive a person not insane at the time, but who subsequently becomes insane, he renders himself liable to prosecution, unless he procure the necessary medical certificates and order (R. _v._ Wilkins).