Whenever it shall be made to appear to the board of managers of any of the state hospitals that any patient who shall have been or who shall be committed to any of such state hospitals as an indigent nonresident patient, has relatives living in any other state or foreign country, the commissioner shall arrange for the discharge of such patient and his transfer and delivery to such relatives in such state or foreign country, if the condition of the patient is such that such transfer and delivery can be made without danger, and shall discharge such patient and deliver him to such relatives, paying from the funds appropriated by law for such purpose the necessary expense attending such transfer.