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bit was first formed。 She feels that it really is a habit； a very bad one。 She hardly knows she is going to prevaricate； the false statement comes out suddenly。 In thinking about it all she harks back once more to that crowd of girls； everybody thought they were good； but she knew they were not。
After a time of quieting down in her behavior tendencies； although there was never complete cessation of the inclination to falsify； a new exacerbation of lying arose。 This time it seemed to center about a clandestine love affair of a mild type。 There was one trouble with this case which neither I nor any one else was able to clear for the parents。 It was perfectly apparent that the girl might naturally be expected to marry at some time。 Now； when an honest young man felt inspired to keep company with this vivacious； healthy； and generally attractive young woman； what were the parents to do？ It was easy enough for them to decide that she must not go with a man of bad character； but were they bound in honor to inform any young man； before affairs had gone too far； that the girl had this unfortunate tendency and that she had had rather a shady career？ It was perfectly clear to them that she herself would not tell him。 This was how the matter stood at the time we last heard of the case； and while the parents were holding back； a young man's affections and the girl's fabrications were growing apace。
Janet had been suffering from a chronic inflammation of the bladder； which； however； did not cause any acute symptoms。 A chronic pelvic inflammation was discovered； for which she was operated upon in her home town。 The surgeon reported to the parents that conditions were such that they would naturally be highly irritative； although there had been no previous complaint about them。 The girl made an exceedingly rapid recovery。 It was after this that her last affair of the affections was causing the parental quandary and distress。
Our final diagnosis of this ease； after careful study of it； was that it was a typical case of pathological lying； mythomania； or pseudologia phantastica。 The girl could not be called a defective in any ordinary sense。 Her capabilities were above the average。 She showed good moral instincts in many directions and was at times altogether penitent。 Nor could she be said to have a psychosis。 The trouble was confined to one form of conduct。
The lying； as in all these cases； seemed undertaken sometimes for the advantages which thereby might accrue。 On the other hand； at times the falsification seemed to have no relation to personal advantages。 Indeed； this girl had experience； many times repeated； that her lying very quickly resulted in suffering to her。 There were aspects of her falsifications which made it seem as if there was pleasure in the mere manufacture of the stories themselves and in the living； even for a short time； in the situations which she had created out of her imagination and communicated to others。 Frequently there seemed to be an unwillingness on her part to face the true facts of existence。 In her representation of things as different from what they really were she seemed to show even the desire for self…deception。 Another point： no student of cases of this kind should allow himself to forget the potency of habit formation。 There can be little doubt but that a large share of this girl's conduct was the result of her well developed and long maintained tendency to trim the facts。
As far as we were able to determine； and we undoubtedly got at the essential facts； this girl's falsifying trait was based on the following： The fact that she came of neuropathic stock would make us think that she possibly inherited an unstable mental make…up。 To be sure； the only evidence of it was in this anomalous characteristic of hers； namely； her pathological lying。 She seemed sound in her nervous makeup。 The idea that the grandmother passed on as inheritance her prevaricating traits is open to discussion； but we have seen that environmental influences from this source may have been the only effect； if there was any at all。 Very important in this case； without any doubt； is the early sex teaching； its repression and the mental conflict about it for years； and then the reintroduction into the subject just before puberty。 Probably this is the vital point of the girl's whole career。 The success she early achieved in deceiving her mother； not by denials； but by the elaboration of imaginary situations； has been the chief determinant of her unfortunate behavior。 Added to that was the formation of a habit and of an attitude towards life in which the stern realities were evaded by the interposition of unrealities。 Even the affair of the imaginary social gathering can be conceived in this light； for evidently she and her family were not engaged then in social affairs and the preparation for a gay event would for a time be a source of excitement and pleasure。 Her autoeroticism may have helped towards the production of phantasies and the general tendency to evasion of the realities of life。
It was clear from first to last that the exploration of the genesis of the tendencies in such a case as this could be but one step towards a cure。 What was also needed was prolonged disciplinary treatment under conditions which were well nigh impossible to be gained at her age。 Willingness on the part of the individual to enter into any long period of discipline or education； such as an institution might offer； is not easily obtained。
… Mental conflict： early and severe。 Case 6。 Early sex experiences and habits。 Girl； age 19 yrs。 Mental habit formation。 Home conditions： defective understanding and control； although ordinarily good home。 Early acquaintance with lying。 Heredity： neuropathic tendencies on both sides。 Delinquencies： Mentality： Excessive lying。 Ability well up to Runaway。 the ordinary。 …
CASE 7
Summary： A girl of 16 brought to us by her mother； who regards her as abnormal mentally because she is an excessive liar and delinquent in other minor ways； proved to be an habitual masturbator。 Under direction； the mother succeeded in curing her of this habit； with the remarkable result that the young woman became in the course of a couple of years quite reliable。
We first saw this young woman of 16 with the mother who maintained that there must be something wrong with the girl's mentality because of her lying； recent running away from home； and some minor misconduct。 There had been trouble with her since she was 7 years old。 She was the twin of a child who died early and who never developed normally。 Her mother said she seemed smart enough in some ways； she had reached 7th grade before she was 14； but even at that time she was a truant and would run off to moving…picture shows at every opportunity。 Her father was a rascal and came of an immoral family。 He had a criminal record； and