§7-8-7. Jail physician; clothing for indigent prisoners.

The county court for every county may appoint a physician to attend all persons confined in jail as lunatics, or persons charged with felony or misdemeanor and, such physician shall furnish all medicines and drugs for, and give proper attention to, all such persons at a stipulated, fixed and exclusive annual allowance. The appointment of such physician shall be made in open court. The court, or president thereof in vacation, shall cause notice of the days during court when sealed bids will be received to be published as a Class I legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty- nine of this code, and the publication area for such publication shall be the county. The bids shall be opened only in court, on the day specified in the notice, if the court then be in session, and, if not, on the first day of the session thereafter, and the appointment awarded to the lowest responsible bidder; and such court shall have the right to reject any or all bids. The person receiving the appointment shall give bond with sufficient surety, to be approved by the court, for the faithful performance of the trust and agreement. The court shall have power to vacate the appointment for failure or neglect of duty; but such vacation shall in no manner affect the liability on the bond. All of the proceedings shall be entered in the order book of the court. The county court may also, after examination, when a person in its jail charged with or convicted of an offense is unable to provide himself with sufficient clothing, direct the jailer to provide clothing, and allow therefor not exceeding $20 in one year. Allowances under this section, on being certified by the court, shall be paid out of the county treasury.