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n the house； in the front room on the floor。'' Emma says she never saw it in reality； but Tessie had boys in their front room when she went there； and then came running out when she heard Emma coming。 She wonders just what Tessie does。 Boys never bother Emma； but all these ideas bother her。 ‘‘Then I think that the boys are going to do it to me。'' In school she cannot study for this reason。 ‘‘Sure； when I start to study it comes up。 I just think about what she tells me； Tessie。 She tells me she liked to do these things with boys。''
This little girl in the couple of interviews we had with her gave vent to much expression of all this which had perplexed her； and she really seemed to want help。 She was very willing to have her mother told。 She went on finally to say that the delinquent girl had taught her long ago about masturbation and that she thinks of it every night in bed。 She can give no explanation of why she runs away and why she falsely accused the man。 She says it was not true at all what she said about him。 She thinks she would behave better if she were less bothered about the things which those girls taught her。 Emma says she questioned a young woman relative who did not tell her any more than her mother did。
Regarding her diversions Emma says that she likes reading； especially fairy tales。 She reads mostly Andersen's Fairy Tales。 She enjoys dressing up as a grown lady and playing make…believe。 She particularly likes to go to bed early and lie and imagine things。 She imagines sometimes that she is grown up and married and has her own home and children。
The neglect； through ignorance； of the several genetic features of Emma's case was quite clear。 The mother was made acquainted with the facts； which her little daughter then affirmed to her； and she promised to alter conditions。 We insisted on attention to Emma's eyes and general physical conditions； on removal from neighborhood association with these old companions； on the necessity for motherly confidences； on watchfulness to break up sex habits； and on the development of better mental interests。 Through relatives in the home town it seemed there was some chance to get these remedial measures undertaken。
A year and a half later we can state that a certain number of our suggestions were followed out。 The mother gained a better understanding of the case and there were some； although not enough； environmental changes。 The father's mental condition has been much better； perhaps because he has largely refrained from drink； and consequently family affairs are more stable。 The girl herself is said not to be doing perfectly either in school or home life； but to be vastly improved。 We have obtained no definite statement concerning whether she now lies at all or not； but it is sure that Emma has engaged in no more egregious types of prevarications and in no more false accusations。 Competent observers think the case is fairly promising in its general moral aspects if environmental conditions continue to improve。
… Mental conflict。 Case 14。 Improper sex teachings。 Girl； age 13。 Bad companions。 Home conditions： Lack of understanding and control。 Father alcoholic； insane （？） Defective vision。 Delinquencies： Mentality： False accusations。 Ability fair。 Runaway。 Obtaining money by false representations。 …
CASE 15
Summary： Girl of 16； over a period of some weeks made extreme accusations against several members of her family。 She gave detailed account of sex immorality； alleged drunkenness and thieving； and an attack on her own life。 She had herself； it was found； begun delinquent tendencies。 The family circumstances and her clearly detailed account gave the color of possibility to her accusations； but investigation proved some of them false； and all of a sudden； after maintaining for long a most convincing demeanor； she withdrew her allegations。 Both before and since this episode she has given no marked evidence of being a falsifier。
We were asked to study this case by police officials who thought perhaps the girl was the victim of some delusional state。 She appeared at the police station and informed them her adult brother had been thieving from the place where he worked。 She lived with him。 Investigation by detectives on the strength of her convincingly given details proved his innocence。 When the brother appeared on the scene he said he had been intending to report her on account of her being away from home。 She herself was then held in custody。
We found a girl in very good general physical condition。 Well developed in sex characteristics and a very mature type of face。 Outside of a somewhat enlarged thyroid and moderately defective vision； we found nothing abnormal。 Weight 114 lbs。； height 5 ft。 Notable was her strong features； deep set eyes； high； broad forehead and sharp chin。
Our study of her on the mental side led us to denominate her as having fair general ability。 She had had poor educational advantages。 We noted much irregularity on work on tests。 She did comparatively poorly on anything that called for careful attention and concentration。 This was especially notable when she was dealing with abstractions or situations to be mentally represented。 Although she could do arithmetic up to simple division she made a bad failure in the continued process of subtraction as given in the Kraepelin test of taking 8's from 100。 In the work on the Code； Test XI； she found it altogether impossible to keep her mind concentrated。 In tests where perceptions were largely brought into play she did very well。 We noticed that she was possessed of a very dramatic manner。 She sighed frequently as she worked。 She was very nervous； continually moving her hands and tapping the table。 She was quite satisfied with her superficial efforts。 It was very curious that we； as well as others； were able to note her apparent sincere belief in her own statements about her family。 As she made them she looked the interviewer straight in the eyes； there was not a hint of evasiveness。
Her result on the ‘‘Aussage'' （Test VI） was very meager。 She only recalled 10 details of the picture。 On cross… examination she gave correctly 14 more items and was wrong on 3 of them。 She accepted only 2 out of 5 suggestions offered and these were the most probable ones。
A full family history was never to be obtained。 The best that we came ultimately to know was that her father and mother had been long dead and she had lived in institutions for years； then with a relative who was not at all a good person； and then with her brother and sister； whom she bitterly accused。 These were people in decidedly poor circumstances and living in very congested quarters。 Indeed； we were inclined to believe； finally； that crowded housing conditions with the necessary unfortunate familiarity with sex affairs and the like was largely responsible for her trouble。 A few months prior to these events she had become acquainted with a girl who had drawn her into running away from home a few nights。 During her unsettled home life she had seen a good deal of immorality in other houses； but had not been immoral herself。 Conditions of squalor surrounded the whole situation。
Her accusations against her family as told to others； and reiterated to us； involved the drunkenness of her own father and mother。 （We were never able to verify whether this charge against her mother was true or not。） Then she went on to allege extreme immorality on the part of her three sisters。 She gave these in the utmost detail。 （There is little doubt but that one of her sisters was rather free living before she was married。） She constantly maintained that she was the only virtuous one in the family and had withstood all advances。 She then recounted much personal abuse and cruel treatment； and accused the brother and his wife of an attempt to poison her because they wanted her out of the way。
Her story was told in such detail； was so well remembered from time to time； and she presented such outward form of sincerity that experienced people were led to believe there must be much in what she said。 On one occasion； under observation； she cried nearly all of two days because one good woman would not believe her statements。 At least she said this was the reason of her tears。 Her general behavior during this period of observation was perfect。
We found her hazy and somewhat incoherent about a number of the details of her life； but she had lived under such varied circumstances that this alone was not convincing of her insincerity。 When we met her brother we were very sure that at least a part of her story was false。 He seemed to be a very decent fellow and was really interested in her。 Several months earlier he had trouble with her on account of her staying out late at night； and had threatened her。 Then there was no more difficulty until