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her feeling that the other children were too old for her to belong to their family。
Then we insist on the positive bearing which this woman's native traits have had in the production of her career。 Her facility with language marks her as possessing one of the chief characteristics of the pathological liar。 Added to this she showed the other personal traits which we have described in detail； leading to her success in misrepresenting herself。 Her strongly developed physiognomy has caused many people to believe her older than she stated； but still one has seen such lineaments belonging to girls of 17。
The bearing which the accident at 18 had upon the case it is impossible for us to estimate。 Her family are very clear on this point； they maintain that all her bad conduct has developed since then。 Through unwillingness； or barely possibly real amnesia for the injury； Inez has not helped us to know the facts。 Dr。 Augusta Bronner； who has studied this case with me； cleverly suggests that just as anyone becomes confused in distinguishing really remembered experiences from what has been told by others was one's experience； so Inez gets confused between what has really happened and what she herself has told as having happened。 This finally involves a pathological liar in a network which is difficult to untangle。 Part of the causation of the present lying； then； is the extensive lying which has been done previously。
Psychological analysis in such a case is most difficult because of the unreliability of the individual's own statements about her life； inner and outer。 Psychoanalysts will be delighted； in the light of what we long afterward found out； at the pregnant opening sentence of an interview； recorded above； when Inez blurted out that she was once in a State hospital。 However； from what we ascertained； we may see clearly that here is an individual with a past that she desires to cover up。 Much more delinquency may be involved of which we know nothing。 As the result of circumstances and traits she finds herself； despite her very good ability； inadequately meeting the world。 Her forceful personality carries her into situations which she is incompetent to live up to。 The immediate way out is by creating a new complication； and this may be through lies or the simulation of illness； at which she has become an adept。 Altogether； Inez must be thought of as one who is trying to satisfy certain wishes and ambitions which are too much for her resources。 Towards the goal to which her nature urges her she follows the path of least resistance。 Being the personality that she is； the social world offers her stimulation which does not come to others。
To discuss the problem of her responsibility would be to introduce metaphysicsit is sure that in the ordinary sense she is not insane。 The cause of her career is not a psychosis； although we readily grant that out of the materials of her mental experience she may ultimately build up definite delusions。
CASE 4
Summary： A girl of 16 had been engaged in an extraordinary amount of clever shoplifting under the influence of her ‘‘mother。'' In the courts where the cases against her were heard there was much sympathy with the girl； but it was difficult to carry out any measures for her benefit because of the excessive prevarications which had characterized her for a long period。 Under oath she falsely accused her ‘‘father'' of sex immorality with her。 She was removed from her home； and with knowledge of the mental conflicts which beset her； splendid efforts to ‘‘cure'' this girl met with success。 It is another case where supposed inherited traits turn out to be the result of environmental influences。
Through frequent communication with the highly intelligent woman with whom Edna F。 was placed in a small western city after she was taken from her previous miserable environment； we have been able to keep close check on the progress of the case for several years。 It was also very fortunate for our understanding that a nurse who knew the girl's real mother in New York； where Edna was born； appeared on the scene and gave us data upon which we could base some opinions of the outcome。 The case in its entirety had proved very baffling to detectives because of the mass of contradictory lies told by both the girl and her ‘‘mother。''
Our attention was first called to this girl when a number of court people were trying to solve the mystery。 She had been arrested for shoplifting and her curious attitude and statements had made some believe she was not quite right mentally。 Once before she had been detected stealing things in a shop。 One of her remarkable statements this last time was that her parents were implicated in the thieving and she named certain stolen articles which might be found at their home。 She went with the detectives and accused her ‘‘mother'' of wearing a dress which she； Edna； had stolen。 The woman was forced to give up the dress and other articles； but it was found later that these goods had been actually bought and paid for by the parents。 Later it was found that the woman was a party to the girl's stealing and this made the girl's story seem all the more strange； for if she were going to involve the people at all why did she not pick out the actually stolen articles？ However； long study of the case brought out the fact that this type of statement was a characteristic of Edna's。 Her word on even important points was absolutely unreliable and her own interests were frequently thwarted by her prevarications。
The case in its different aspects came up in court again and again until finally most of the truth was ascertained； enough to justify radical measures being undertaken。 During this period the mother was discovered to be an atrocious liar； even with her last bitter confession that all she had said about her motherhood had been untrue； she manufactured more quite unnecessary falsehoods。 In the meantime the family physician and the family lawyer had both informed me of the peculiar mysteries of the case and of the perfect mass of lies into which the statements of both mother and daughter led。 This sort of thing had been going on for years。 It is of no small interest to note that the woman was greatly over…dressed and made up。 On numerous occasions she appealed to us to study the girl and find out why she lied so much and why she had such an inclination to steal； in the meantime attempting to fill us up with many inventions about the girl's antecedents。
Physical examination showed a perfectly normally developed girl。 No sensory defects。 Pleasant features。 Well shaped head。 Weight 101 lbs； height 5 ft。 1 in。 We found no hysterical stigmata。 Menstruation had first occurred at 14。 No trouble or irregularity was reported。 We learn the girl has never had any serious illness。 She herself told of fainting spells after being whipped and so on； but these were undoubtedly falsifications。 The family physician informed us he had operated on the girl for appendicitis about three months previous to the time we first saw her。 He had found some evidences of an old appendiceal inflammation； but it is quite likely from the various accounts which we heard that her symptoms recounted to him were largely fabrication and that the signs which he found； at least in their excessive phases； were partly deceptions。 The most important point for the court proceedings was his findings that the girl had never been sexually tampered with and had no local disease。 At the time when we knew Edna she was being treated for a local infection which must have been recent and superficial； for it rapidly subsided。
We had ample opportunity to test Edna's ability and found it quite normal。 She had been out of school much and had been careless in general about her education； but she had finally finished the grammar school。 A long list of tests was done almost uniformly well。 Where a prolonged task which required concentration was asked； Edna was inclined to work carelessly； but in general her capacities proved to be decidedly good。 She was accustomed to read nothing but the lightest literature and fairy stories and her interests were of the superficial sort。 Neither in powers of imagery or imagination； nor by anything else ascertained about her mental abilities did we come to know of any point of special bearing upon her behavior。
On the ‘‘Aussage'' picture test； she gave only 12 details； all correct； on free recital。 Upon questioning she gave 28 more items and almost the only variation from accuracy was in respect to the colors。 Evidently she let her fancy run when she could not remember correctly； through this she got 6 items incorrect。 She readily accepted 3 out of 4 suggestions。
Our earliest impressions of Edna state that she seemed much confused in her stories and in her manner of telling them； leaving sentences unfinished and trying to explain inconsistencies by other inconsistencies。 At this time she was referring constantly to her doubts about her age； her family； and her origin。 She then seemed highly suspicious of every one and talked of suicide。 However； when she was showing these signs she could be diverted； for she worked with much pleasure at