"10. That we advocate a freer use of appointments of commissions by the court.
"11. That a period of hospital observation of all persons committing crimes in whose defence the plea of insanity has been raised is by far the best method yet devised for securing impartial and accurate opinions, silencing popular clamor, avoiding prolonged and sensational trials and saving expense to the State; also that we advocate the enactment in every State of laws similar to those of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts, providing that such persons may be committed by the court to a State hospital for the insane there to remain for such time as the court may direct pending the determination of their insanity.
"12. That it is the sense of the Association that it is subversive of the dignity of the medical profession for any of its members to occupy the position of medical advisory counsel in open court and at the same time to act as expert witness in a medico-legal case.
"13. That we regard the acceptance by a physician of a fee that is contingent upon the result of a medico-legal case as not in accordance with medical ethics and derogatory to the good repute of the profession, and advocate the regulation of the practice by legislation.
"14. That we are in favor of any legislation that will secure a definite standard of qualification for medical men giving expert testimony."
An equal amount of consideration has been given to this important question from time to time by the American Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology. At a recent meeting of that organization the following recommendations were submitted by a committee:
"1. That in all cases of felony or misdemeanor punishable by a prison sentence the question of responsibility be not submitted to the jury, which will thus be called upon to determine only that the offense was committed by the defendant.
"2. That the disposition and treatment (including punishment) of all such misdemeanants and felons, i.e., the sentence imposed, be based upon a study of the individual offender by properly qualified and impartial experts cooperating with the courts.
"3. That provisions be made permitting the transfer of such misdemeanants and felons at any time after conviction from one institution to another affording a different kind of treatment upon the presentation of evidence of the needs for such action satisfactory to the court which passed sentence.
"4. That no maximum term be set to any sentence.