pathology of lying-第50节

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s　of　insanity。''　　They　may　be　lacking　in　normal　social　control　and　in　ability　to　reason；　impulsively　inclined　to　anti…social　deeds　and　therefore　social　menaces；　but；　notwithstanding　this；　may　not　be　classified　under　the　head　of　any　of　the　ordinary　text…book　types　of　mental　diseases。

It　is　clear　that　for　the　protection　of　society　a　different　notion　of　what　constitutes　mental　aberration　or　insanity　should　prevail；　so　that　these　unusually　dangerous　types　might　be　permanently　segregated。　　It　would　really　seem　that　just　the　findings　which　the　hospital　statement　enumerates　would　convince　one　of　this　individual's　marked　abnormality　from　a　social　point　of　view　and　that　his　being　at　large　was　a　grave　undesirability。

The　latest　information　concerning　this　young　man　is　that　he　was　being　held　in　a　Western　city　for　burglary。

We　should　hesitate　to　make　out　a　card　of　causative　factors　in　this　case。　　It　is　clear　that　the　major　cause　in　his　delinquency　was　his　aberrational　mentality。　　What　there　was　by　way　of　causation　back　of　this；　our　history；　although　obtained　from　an　apparently　conscientious　parent；　is　too　meagre　for　explanation。



CASE　26

Summary：　　Boy　of　16　had　for　6　years　caused　a　great　amount　of　trouble　by　his　general　unreliability　and　excessive　lying。　　He　had　been　tried　away　from　his　own　people　in　private　homes　and　in　institutions　without　success。　　His　lying　was　excessive　and　often　showed　no　purpose　and　no　foresight。　　His　peculiar　delinquencies　demonstrated　weakness　of　will。　　Although　in　good　general　physical　condition　he　simulated　illnesses。　　Mental　and　physical　characteristics　rendered　certain　the　diagnosis　of　constitutional　inferiority。


We　saw　William　S。　first　when　he　was　over　16　years　of　age；　after　he　had　been　arrested　for　stealing。　　He　had　already　been　in　three　institutions　for　delinquents。　　From　his　father　and　others　we　gained　a　long　story　of　the　case。

William　was　in　fairly　good　physical　condition。　　No　sensory　defect。　　Weight　125　lbs。；　height　5　ft。　3　in。　　Although　well　enough　developed　in　other　ways　he　was　a　marked　case　of　delayed　puberty；　as　yet　no　pubescence。　　Strength　only　fair；　for　his　age；　muscles　decidedly　flabby。　　A　high；　broad　forehead。　　Large　nose。　　Peculiar　curl　of　the　upper　lip。　　Small；　weak　chin。　　These　features　give　him　a　peculiar　appearancereadily　interpretable　as　showing　weakness　of　character。　　Cranium　notably　large。　　With　small　amount　of　hair　measurements　were：　circumference　57。8；　length　19。6；　breadth　15。5　cm。　　（Head　same　size　as　father's。）　　Expression　downcast。　　Voice　high　pitched。　　‘‘Under　dog''　attitude。　　Slouchy。　　No　analgesia　or　other　signs　of　hysteria。

The　performance　on　tests　was　peculiarly　irregular。　　In　this　monograph　we　have　omitted　discussion　of　the　results　of　separate　tests；　but　the　citation　of　the　summary　as　dictated　when　the　case　was　first　studied　will　prove　instructive：　　The　work　done　on　our　tests　was　very　irregular；　peculiarly　so。　　Perceptions　good　and　most　phases　of　the　memory　processes　fair；　but　in　reasoning　ability　and　especially　in　tests　which　require　the　application　of　some　foresight　the　results　are　poor　indeed。　　The　failure　is　remarkable　in　proportion　to　what　he　could　do　in　school　work　and　to　his　abilities　in　some　other　ways。　　He　reads　fluently；　writes　a　very　good　hand；　and　in　arithmetic　is　able　to　do　long　division；　but　showed　no　grasp　of　good　method。　　When　at　his　best　he　sticks　at　a　job　well　enough；　but　does　it　with　no　intelligence　and　does　not　save　himself　in　the　least　by　thoughtful　procedures。　　We　were　interested　to　note　that　in　a　game　which　he　said　he　had　played　a　great　deal；　namely　checkers；　he　made　the　most　foolish　and　shortsighted　moves。　　It　is　only　fair　to　say　that　this　boy　varied　in　his　performance　from　time　to　time；　his　emotional　condition　largely　controlled　his　performance。

On　the　‘‘Aussage''　or　Testimony　Test　he　gave　a　functional　account　upon　free　recital；　with　15　details。　　On　questioning　he　gave　13　more　items。　　Out　of　the　entire　number　only　3　minor　errors。　　Of　5　suggestions　proffered　none　was　accepted。

There　was　a　great　deal　more　to　be　said　about　this　boy's　mental　peculiarities　than　what　was　evidenced　by　the　giving　of　tests。　　Our　observations　of　him　made　at　intervals　over　a　period　of　several　months　corroborated　entirely　the　statements　of　several　others；　including　members　of　his　own　family。　　The　boy　was　remarkably　unstable　in　his　ideas　and　purposes。　　What　he　apparently　sincerely　wanted　to　do　and　be　at　one　time　was　entirely　different　at　another。　　His　changeableness　was　shown　in　many　ways。　　When　he　had　been　found　apparently　suitable　employment　or　a　new　home　he　often　would　stay　only　a　few　days。　　The　father's　first　statement　that　the　boy　was　a　craven　was　borne　out　by　all　that　we　saw。　　He　was　too　cowardly　to　be　‘‘tough；''　but　he　was　a　persistent　runaway　and　vagrant。　　He　sometimes　used　an　assumed　name。　　In　general　demeanor　he　was　good　natured；　but　always　restless。　　Not　the　least　of　his　peculiarities　was　his　ready　weeping。　　It　was　amazing　to　see　so　large　a　fellow　draw　down　his　chin　and　sob　like　a　young　child。　　He　was　easily　frightened　at　night。　　Under　observation　he　had　peculiar　episodes　of　behavior。　　Once　in　a　school…room；　without　any　known　provocation；　he　suddenly　began　to　cry　and　scream；　picked　up　a　chair　and　soon　had　the　entire　room　cleared　out。　　A　moment　afterwards　he　was　found　sobbing　and　bewailing　his　lot　because　he　‘‘never　had　a　fair　chance。''　　On　another　occasion　his　legs　strangely　gave　out　and　he　had　to　be　carried　to　bed　by　his　fellows。　　The　next　morning　a　physician　found　him　with　his　legs　drawn　up　and　apparently　very　sensitive　over　his　back　and　other　parts　of　his　body；　but　with　a　little　encouragement　all　his　symptoms　soon　disappeared。　　He　gave　a　history　of　having　had　convulsions；　but　this　was　found　to　be　untrue。　　He　was　a　‘‘bluffer''　among　boys；　when　met　valiantly　showed　always　great　cowardice。

We　felt　much　inclined　at　first　to　denominate　him　a　case　of　abulia；　but　his　stubbornness　in　recalcitrancy　led　us　to　change　our　opinion。　　From　the　above　physical　signs　and　mental　phenomena　he　was　clearly　a　constitutional　inferior。

Some　facts　we　obtained　on　the　family　history　were　most　significant。　　The　mother　of　William　suffered　from　attacks　which　were　undoubtedly　epileptic。　　Her　mother；　in　turn；　had　convulsions　at　least　during　one　pregnancy。　　We　did　not　learn　whether　or　not　she　had　them　at　other　times。　　No　other　points　of　significance　in　that　family　are　known。　　The　father　himself　was　brought　up；　as　he　says；　strictly；　but　he　was　inclined　to　be　wild；　and　he　has　indulged　for　many　years　altogether　too　much　in　tobacco　and　alcohol。　　He　is　distinctly　a　weak　type　and　the　poorest　specimen　of　his　family。　　William　is　the　only　child。　　There　was　nothing　peculiar　in　developmental　history　until　he　was　2　1/2　years　old　when　he　suffered　from　‘‘brain　fever　and　spinal　meningitis。''　　This　was　said　to　have　left　him　with　a　stiff　right　arm　and　to　account　for　his　being　left　handed。　　（We　could　discover　no　difference　in　the　reflexes。）　　Then　at　another　period　he　was　sick　in　bed　for　6　months　with　some　unknown；　but　not　very　serious　illness。　　The　mother　has　been　dead　for　years　and　so　we　were　unable　to　get　accurate　details　about　this。　　At　a　very　early　age　William　sought　the　pleasures　of　tobacco；　even　when　a　child　of　6　or　7　he　used　his　pennies　for　that　purpose。　　He　was　brought　up　in　an　environment　defective　on　account　of　his　father　being　a　poor　earner　and　weak　in　discipline。　　But　still　his　parent　took　for　years　a　great　deal　of　interest　in　him　and　it　was　not　until　the　boy　had　proven　himself　most　difficult　that　his　father　proclaimed　himself　unable　to　manage　his　son。

At　about　10　years　of　age　William　began　running　away　from　home　and　manufacturing　untrue　stories。　　One　of　his　favorite　statements　was　that　his　father　had　been　killed　in　an　accident。　　It　is　notable　that　all　these　years　he　has　been　attempting　to　gain　sympathy　for　this　or　that　assumed　condition；　whether　it　be　his　own　alleged　physical　ailments；　or　fictitious　family　difficulties。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　during　this　time　he　has　been　in　some　good　homes；　failing　each　time　to　comport　himself　so　that　he　could　be　retained　there。　　It　was　typical　that　he　reiterated；　‘‘I　have　no　friends；　there　is　no　one　to　stick　up　for　me。''　　Besides　being　in　three　institutions　before　he　was　16　years　old；　William　had　been　in　homes　which　he　had　found　when　he　had　run　away；　or　in　which　he　had　been　placed　by　his　father　or　by　social　agencies；　the　services　of　which　had　been　evoked。　　His　stealing　was　often　done　with　an　extraordinary　lack　of　foresight。　　For　instance；　in　one　good　position　that　had　been　found　for　him　he　took　a　box　of　cigars；　when；　of　course；　as　the　newcomer　he　would　have　been　suspected；　and　even　after　his　employers　made　it　clear　to　him　that　they　knew　of　the　theft　he　took　another　box　the　next　day。　　His　lying　under　all　occasions　was　nothing　short　of　astonishing。　　To　even　his　best　friends　he　offered　all　sorts　of　fabulous　tales　which　one　iota　of　forethought　would　have　made　him　realize　would　redound　to　his　disadvantage。　　Almost　his　only　show　of　common　sense　in　this　was　when　he　gave　an　assumed　name　while　getting　a　new　position；　and　even　this　performance　could　hardly　be　considered　deeply　rational。　　It　is　hardly　necessary　to　give　lengthy　specimens　of　his　falsifica