pathology of lying-第7章
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s； Protestant as well as Catholic。 He was arrested in Cologne when discovered to be a fraud。 He lay four days in jail apparently unconscious and then appeared stupefied and staggered about。 When questioned he responded； ‘‘I am born again。'' He spoke mostly in Biblical terms and was fluent with pious speeches。 He was found quite sound physically。 He ate a great deal and was known to take bread away from other prisoners at night。 He was sentenced for 15 months for swindling。 He himself related that in youth he had seen many monks and had become possessed of the idea of being one。 He was a sex pervert。
＇19＇ ‘‘Ein forensisch interessanter Fall。 Pseudologia phantastica。'' Allg。 Zeitschrift f。 Psych。 LV； p。 88。
The author considered this not a pure case of simulation； the patient was an abnormal being； none of his keepers thought him normal。 His entire appearance； his excited way of speaking； his gestures and play of features were all striking to a high degree。 His method of going about begging was unreasonable； he gained so little by it。 His tendency to untruthfulness stood out everywhere。 He imitated the pious as he chattered without aim。 The man had lived himself into the role of a cloister brother so completely that he was not clearly conscious of the deceit。 The author thinks the case presents some paranoiac features with a pathological tendency towards lying。 Thus this pathological liar presents the phenomenon of a mixture of lies and delusions。
From the Zurich clinic of Forel several cases of pathological swindling have been reported at length。＇20＇ It must be confessed that the success of much of the misrepresentation cited in these case histories seems to be as largely due to the naivete of the country folk as to the efforts of the swindlers themselves。 Two of the cases were clearly insane and were detained for long periods in asylums after their study in the clinic。 But even so； it is to be noted that one of these when absenting himself from institutional care succeeded in going on with his swindling operations。 The third case was regarded as that of an aberrational individual with special tendency towards lying and swindling； but the opinion rendered did not end in the man being held as insane。 He was simply regarded as a delinquent； and after serving his sentence he went his old way。 These cases are interesting to one who would learn the extent to which swindling among a simple minded population can be carried on。
＇20＇ ‘‘Gerichtlich…psychiatrische Gutachten aus d。 Klinik von Prof。 Forel in Zurich； f。 Aerzte u。 Juristen； herausgegeb。 von Dr。 Th。 Koelle。'' Stuttgart； Encke； 1902。
From French sources we have not been able to collect such a wealth of material as we found in German literature。 One study by Belletrud and Mercier＇21＇ compares favorably in elaborate working out of details with the work of German authors。 A Corsican boy； from childhood moody； fond of adventure； inclined to deception； had attempted suicide several times before he was twenty years old。 He was married at that time and went to France； where he was employed in several towns。 His life following this included an immense amount of lying and swindling。 He had a mania for buying costly antique furniture and jewelry which he obtained on credit。 He frequently disappeared from localities where he was wanted on criminal charges； and changed his name。 He wandered through Italy； Tunis； and South America。 Returning to France he was taken into custody and mental troubles were noted。 He showed delirium of persecution and was removed to a hospital for the insane。 Experts studied him for a year before they could decide whether he was insane or merely simulating insanity。 Finally they thought he was not simulating。 A few months later he escaped； went to Belgium； Italy； Corsica。 Turning up at a town in France under an assumed name； he was arrested again and elaborately examined。 At this time he had frequent attacks of unconsciousness and frothing at the mouth。 At times he was melancholy。 Summarizing the case； the authors say that the psychic peculiarities of the patient were congenital； and included habitual instability of character with defective development of the ethical sentiments； and tendency to deceit and swindling。 Epilepsy here is； of course； the central cause of mental and moral deterioration。
＇21＇ ‘‘Un cas de mythomanie； escroquerie et simulation chez un epileptique。'' L'Encephale； June 1910； p。 677。
From a pedagogical point of view Rouma＇22＇ tells of the marvelous stories of a five…year…old boy in the Froebel school at Charleroi。 His stories were generally suggested by something told by the teacher or other pupils。 He referred their anecdotes to himself or other members of his family and greatly enlarged upon them。 He also made elaborate childish drawings and gave long accounts of what they meant。 Going into the question of heredity Rouma found this boy's mother very nervous； the father was a good man。 She had worked steadily at the machine before his birth。 Two of their children died with convulsions； of the two living； one was well behaved； but weakly。 Rouma's case had stigmata of degeneracy in ears； palate； and jaw。 Tested by the Binet system； he did three out of five of the tests for five years satisfactorily。 He was easily fatigued； refused at times to respond； said he had been forbidden to reply； said he would be whipped if he did。 In school he was always poor at manual work； wanted to be moving about； to go out of classes on errands； was always calling notice to himself in a good or bad way。 He paid very little attention to his lessons； played alone or with younger children； leading them often into mischief。 It was found that he got much of his material for stories from his older brother who told him of robbers and accidents。 From his good father he got the form of his tales； because the father was wont to tell him stories with a moral。
＇22＇ ‘‘Un cas de mythomanie。'' Arch。 de Psych。 1908； pp。 259…282。
In summary； Rouma stated that this child possessed senses acute beyond the average； and was of very unstable temperament； refusing regular work； not submitting to rules； rebelling at abstractions。 There were evidences of degeneracy on the mother's side。
Remedies in education for such children are： Suppress food for imagination； such as came from the stories of father and brother。 Direct perceptions to accurate work。 Systematize education of attention； exercise the senses； use manual work； such as modeling and gardening。 Give lessons in observation in the class room and on promenades。
Meunier＇23＇ tells of three girls in a well known Parisian school who indulged in wonderful tales。 The first； in the intermediate grade； told stories of the illness of her father to account for her not having her lessons。 The second； 11 years old； said that her mother was dying； she came bringing this news to the teachers at two different periods of her school life。 She was a calm； thoughtful； analytical child with no reason for lying。 Family history negative。 The third； 13 years old； told of an imaginary uncle who was going to collect funds for needy children； she kept up the deceit for two months。 She was an anemic； nervous； hysterical child with a nervous mother。 Meunier calls these cases of systematized deliriums。 The development of such delirium annihilates； so to speak； the entire personality of the subject； and his entire mental life is invaded by abnormal extra and introspectionthe delirium commands and systematizes all acquired impressions。 There is a veritable splitting of the personality in which the new ‘‘ego'' is developed at the expense of the normal ‘‘ego'' that now only appears at intervals。
＇23＇ ‘‘Remarks on Three Cases of Morbid Lying。'' Journal of Mental Pathology； 1904； pp。 140…142。
CHAPTER III
CASES OF PATHOLOGICAL LYING AND SWINDLING
In the group of twelve cases making up this chapter we have limited ourselves to a simple type in order to demonstrate most clearly the classical characteristics of pathological liars。 How pathological lying verges into swindling may be readily seen in several of the following cases； e。g。； Cases 3； 8； 10； 12； although only two； Cases 3 and 12； have had time as yet to show marked development of the swindling tendency。 For the purpose of aiding in the demonstration of the evolution of lying into swindling； and also to bring out the fact that facility in language may be the determining influence towards pathological lying and swindling； we have included Case 12； which otherwise possibly might be considered under our head of border…line mental types。
In any attempt to distinguish between pathological accusers and liars； cases overlapping into both groups are foundso some of the material in this chapter may be fairly considered as belonging partially to the next chapter。
In discussing the possibility of betterment； a fact which we as well as others have observed； consideration of Cases 1； 4； and 7 is suggested。
CASE 1
Summary： A girl of 16 applied for help； telling an elaborate tale of family tragedy which proved to be totally untrue。 It was so well done that it deceived the most experienced。 Shrewd detective work cleared the mystery。 It was found that the girl was a chronic falsifier and had immediately preceding this episode become delinquent in other ways。 Given firm treatment in an institution and later by her family； who knew well her peculiarities； this girl in the course of four years apparently has lost her previous extreme tendency to falsification。
Hazel M。 at 16 years of age created a mild sensation by a story of woe which brought immediate offers of aid for the alleged distress。 One morning she appeared at a social center and stated she had come from a hospital where her brother； a young army man； had just died。 She gave a remarkably correct； detailed； medical account of his suffering and death。 In response to inquiry she told of a year's training as a nurse； that was how she knew about such subjects。 In company with a social worker she went directly back to the hospital to make arrangements for what she requested； namely； a proper burial。 At the hospital office it was said that no such person had died there； and after she had for a time insisted on it she finally said she must have been dreaming。 Although she had wept on the shoulder of a listener as she first told her story； she now gave it up without any show of emotion。 We were asked to study the case。
Hazel sketched to us a well…balanced story of her family life； one which it was impossible to break down。 It involved experiences at army postsshe stated her only relatives were brothers in the armyand her recent work as a ‘‘practical nurse。'' She finally led on to the death of her brother； as in the tale previously told。 When asked how she accounted for the fact that no such person was found in the hospital； she answered； ‘‘Well； I either must have been crazy or something is the matter； and I don't think my mind is that bad。'' The girl evidently was suffering from loss of sleep； her case was not further investigated until after a long rest。
The next day Hazel started in by saying； ‘‘It's enough to
