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se。 Almost nothing is known of the maternal family。 After losing his first wife； the father was twice remarried； and even the third wife has divorced him。 He had a brother who； after going insane and killing two laborers； committed suicide。 His grandmother； and probably also a cousin； were insane。 Two of his sisters were of a nervous and hysterical type and said to have attacks of aphonia。 A child by his second wife is epileptic。 This man gives us a long account of his own defective heredity and of his own physical ailments。 He does not recognize the fact； however； that he also is mentally below par。 We have seen him on numerous occasions and known of his great activity in the courts； and have attempted to size him up。 He is undoubtedly a constitutional inferior； in poor general physical condition and subject to episodic mental states。 One would be inclined to call him a semi…responsible individual with mild delusions； defective reasoning ability； great energy in self…assertion； and of combative disposition。 This latter shows itself in his voluble emphasis on the alleged ill treatment of himself and family； even by his wives。 He is never physically violent。 On account of false accusations； whether delusional or not； he got at least one pastor into a peck of trouble； and； strangely enough； his wives have been involved in some other church embroilments when his own character was called severely into question。 On one occasion we were interested to enumerate an astonishing list of people and organizations which； he stated； had treated him and his family unfairly。 It seemed to us that during the last two or three years he must largely have lived in the courts to carry on his transactions there。 His concern for his daughter seemed genuine and her delinquency led him to seek the law more than ever。 Some of the good people who have become interested in his affairs tell us that his is the strangest story they have ever heard。 His veracity is often in question。 On more than one occasion with us he has dwelled on his nervous states； and on the fact that he is subject to times of mental confusion； but he defends his own judgment and actions on all occasions with great vigor。
This most erratic father has nearly always sided with Annie and offered excuses for her under all circumstances。 However； she has stated that he was most difficult to live with on account of his quarreling at home and general bad management of the household。 We know that at times he has been a seeker of newspaper notoriety。 From his conversations with us and with others we know that his mind dwells much on sex affairs and these things are frequently discussed in the home。 There has been much turmoil and quarreling in the family circle； at least with the last two wives。 On several occasions the family have had to appeal for aid from the charities because none of them succeeded in making a living。 Annie alleged she was taught shop…lifting by the second wifewe regard this as being possibly true on account of the woman's general reputation； the fact that they were desperately poor； and that she drank at times。
The father has the ability to make a very good presentation of himself； to use the best of language and he has had musical training enough to be able to give lessons。 Annie herself has taken many lessons in music。
The after…history of this case is instructive。 Almost none of our suggestions were taken when our first diagnosis was made。 Two years after we first saw Annie she was placed in an institution for delinquents； then having run away from home； ‘‘picked up'' a man on the street and stayed all night in a hotel with him。 At the institution the girl became very nervous and behaved badly and the authorities decided it was a poor place for her。 The father； who at first wanted her placed there； very soon decided that she should be removed。 It is very likely his attitude had something to do with her behavior there。
About this time Annie worked in a millinery shop where she proved herself quick and skilful。 There she told stories again defaming herself。 She said she had had a baby and went into complete details； such as giving the name of the nurse who had taken care of her； and so on。 On account of this she was discharged。 Later she told us she related these stories to get even with her father； for if there was ever a hell on earth it was living with him。
About three years after our first study of Annie； the father himself brought a complaint against her of untruthfulness and general unreliability。 This was at one of the times when he was complaining bitterly of other people。 It seems he had lately tried to restrain her from leaving the house and she had cut his head open with an umbrella。 It was evident she had started downhill again； and she was placed in a Rescue Home。 She now repeatedly told people she was pregnant and made charges against some man； but these soon fell through because a little detective work showed she was corresponding with a boy and had very likely been immoral with him and others。 She was then making an attempt to lead a dual life； maintaining she wanted to save some of the unfortunates with whom she was placed； while at the same time entering into various escapades with them and others。 At this period a suicidal attempt was reported； but we never had satisfactory proof of the genuineness of this。 Annie was now regarded as being excessively delinquent。
A few months afterwards； when the young woman was in one of her better moods and wished to do well； we made a few vocational tests on her。 We found her quite unfit for the position of telephone operator which had been suggested for her。 Psychomotor control appeared then decidedly defective。 However； there was great improvement on work done on intellectual tests two or three years previously。 Although she had developed physically （she now was a particularly good looking young woman） we felt she was quite unfit for work which demanded steady effort。 One trouble all along was the fact that she did not wear her glasses。 We advised then； as we had advised at first； a quiet country life for Annie and the other members of the family。 The constant stimulus of city conditions was too much for them。
Again our advice was not taken and some months later the father came to us with the story of extreme poverty； some recent attacks of unconsciousness on his part； separation from his third wife； and the information that Annie was about to become a chorus girl。
Even a final consideration of the general diagnosis in this case which has been so long observed by us does not seem to justify our including it among our border…line mental types。 Application of the term constitutional inferiority seems a priori warranted by the family history and yet we have no proof that her physical and mental conditions as enumerated above are not the result of her many early illnesses and the excessively erratic environmental conditions； rather than of causes which existed at birth。
On account of the peculiar inhibitory phases which arose nearly always during observation； we never relied merely on the results of laboratory tests for our judgment； and her succe