Proceedings for the certification of persons believed to be of un- sound mind

(1) For the purposes of the inquiry which the magistrate is required to make under this Act, the magistrate shall appoint two medical practitioners to examine the person believed to be (2) Where the magistrate appoints medical practitioners to examine any person as to his state of mind, he may issue his warrant authorising any person or officer to hold the person believed to be of unsound mind during any time which may be necessary for his examination and observation, and the medical practitioners appointed for that purpose shall have access to the person believed to be of unsound mind for the purpose of observing and examining him. (3) No warrant shall authorise the holding of any person for examination for any period exceeding seven days but the warrant may be re-issued from time to time for a period not exceeding seven days. (4) The medical practitioners shall examine the person believed to be of unsound mind separately and each shall arrive at his own conclusion as to the state of mind of that person apart from the other. (5) Each such medical practitioner shall, if the facts warrant his so doing, certify that in his opinion the person examined by him is of unsound mind. (6) The certificate shall specify in full detail the facts upon which the medical practitioner signing it bases his opinion and it shall clearly distinguish facts which he himself has observed from facts communicated to him by others. (7) The medical practitioners so appointed shall inquire of any person able to give information as to the previous history of the person examined by them, and they shall state in their certificates all matters known to them which in their opinion are likely to be of service in connection with the medical treatment of the person examined. (8) No certificate which purports to be founded wholly on facts communicated to the practitioners by others shall have any effect. Proceedings for the certification of persons believed (9) Where a person believed to be of unsound mind is in some place where it is impossible without considerable delay to obtain two registered medical practitioners for the purpose of examining him, it shall be sufficient compliance with this section if the magistrate appoints a single medical practitioner to examine him.