Chap. 0197 An Act prohibiting employees and other persons connected with hospitals from furnishing certain information about certain personal injury cases to attorneys at law or their representatives, and making changes in the law relating to runners, so called.

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

Section 1. Chapter two hundred and twenty-one of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section forty-three, as appearing in the Tercentenary Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following: - Section 43. No attorney at law shall, through any runner, agent or person, hereinafter called a runner, who is employed by him solicit a person to employ him, nor shall any such runner solicit a person to employ such attorney, to present a claim for damages, or to prosecute an action for the enforcement thereof, and no attorney at law or runner shall directly or indirectly give or promise any person any money, fee, commission, profitable employment or other personal advantage in consideration of his employing such attorney on behalf of a person having a claim for damages, or of his soliciting or procuring the person who has such claim to employ such attorney to present such claim or to prosecute an action for the enforcement thereof. No attorney at law shall appear in any action or suit for the enforcement of a claim in connection with which he has violated this section. A district court, upon complaint alleging violation of any provision of this section by any runner who resides or has a place of business within its judicial district, may issue an order of notice to the person complained of to show cause why he should not be ordered to desist and refrain from violation of any such provision on penalty of contempt.

Section 2. Said chapter two hundred and twenty-one is hereby further amended by inserting after section forty-four, as so appearing, the two following new sections: - Section 44-A. No person in the employ of, or in any capacity attached to or connected with, any hospital, infirmary or other institution, public or private, which receives patients for medical or surgical treatment, shall communicate, directly or indirectly, with any attorney at law, or any person representing such attorney, for the purpose of enabling such attorney, or any associate or employee of such attorney, to solicit employment to present a claim for damages or prosecute an action for the enforcement thereof, on behalf of any patient in any such institution. A district court, upon complaint alleging violation of any provision of this section by any person employed by, or attached to, or connected with, any such hospital, infirmary or other institution situated within its judicial district, may issue an order of notice to the person complained of to show cause why he

should not be ordered to desist and refrain from violation of any such provision on penalty of contempt.

Section The superintendent or other person in

immediate charge of each hospital, infirmary or institution referred to in section forty-four A shall cause to be posted and kept posted in a conspicuous place therein printed copies of said section. Printed copies of said section shall, on application therefor, be furnished to each such hospital, infirmary and institution by the department of public health at a price to be determined by the commission on administration and finance. Any such superintendent or other person who violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars.

Approved May 12, 1939.