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sents an evil and watchful appearance； or； if a novice at his trade； is hesitating in his replies； the pathological liar has a cheerful； open； free； enthusiastic； charming appearance； because he believes in his stories and wishes their reality。 The inconsequential way in which such persons go to work is to be explained by the fact that consciousness of the real situation is partly clouded in their minds。 In any special act it is impossible to say whether the consciousness of the lie； fancy； or delusion preponderates。 Inability to remember delinquencies Stemmermann regards also as added proof of pathological lying。
She speaks of another class of prattlers； chattering people that might be confounded with pathological liars from the stories they tell in full detail。 But they have no system which they develop； often change their subject and do not paint in a lifelike way because they do not believe their own stories or live in them in a self…centered manner。
Of the 17 cases Stemmermann studied from the literature （Delbruck； Hinrichsen； Jorger； Redlich； Koelle； Henneberg ； Wellenbergh） 10 were periodic。 Of her own 10 cases； 6 were periodic。 Sex abnormalities were present in 5 out of the 17 in the literature。 Among possible causes of pathological lying she places any factor which narrows consciousness and increases suggestion and weakness； such as pregnancy； overexertion； chronic alcoholism； monotonous living； long； close work； head injuries。
Concerning prognosis she finds little detailed in the literature。 The general opinion is that such cases arising from a background of degeneracy are incurable。 One of her cases was free from attacks for two periods of three years each； and had been blameless in an honorable position as editor for seven years at the time of the publication of her monograph。 She suggests that the profession he has chosen may be particularly suited to the talents of the pathological liar。 She also ventures to state that where pathological lying is merely an accompaniment of puberty it may disappear。
The fact that so many of the cases cited by Stemmermann were clearly abnormal and found places in insane asylums makes much citation of them by us； in turn； hardly worth while。 However； a short summary of a couple of her more normal cases will show the problems and conditions as she found them。 I。 Annie J。； 19 years old； father a tailor； had been employed in several places as a servant。 Aside from the fact that it was stated she always had an inclination to lie； nothing more was known about her early life。 She complained of headaches and fainting attacks； and mourned over the death of her fiance。 She said he had gone to Berlin to learn tailoring and had died there of inflammation of the lungs。 He left her 650 marks which her mother got hold of。 On investigation it was found that this man was still alive and never had been engaged to her。 She then accused her mother of taking 50 marks from her and said that a man； purporting to be her real father； came from another town and told her she had been brought up by foster parents。 Through the quarreling which arose from these various stories Annie was taken before the police physician and pronounced mentally unsound。 Then she told of another engagement with the brother of her departed fiance； who had discovered her real mother。 The latter was going to leave her 30；000 marks。 He had formed a plot with the foster mother to put Annie out of the way and to divide the money。 He followed her on the street and threw a drugged cloth over her head。 She fainted and was carried home。 She said she brought action for attempt to murder。 （Whether this fiance and the rich mother were real persons is not known。） Later in the same year； Annie being again at large； a new father； der Graf von Woldau； appeared and bought her beautiful clothes costing 100 marks。 He wanted to take her away； but quickly disappeared and was not seen again。 When Annie told this story she was employed by a woman who attempted to get traces of the count； but failed。 Later this employer missed a sum of money equivalent to that spent for the clothes。 Annie's responsibility by this time was still more questioned and she was sent to an insane asylum。 There she was found normally oriented； orderly； industrious； but suffered from periodical headaches。 When questioned in the asylum concerning her tales she hesitated and would say； ‘‘Now I believe them and now I don't。'' It is remarkable in this case that her different employers believed all her fabrications and took the girl's part against the supposed offenders。 For a year she engaged in a sort of orgy of pathological lying and then this phase of her career stopped。 After a few months in the asylum she returned home and later married。 The last report from her mother was that she was nervous and easily excited； but showed no further signs of insanity。
II。 This was a boy； Johann P。； who was studied mentally first when he was 16 years old。 A thoroughly good history was forthcoming。 He was brought for examination on account of his extreme changeableness； his failure in several occupations； his tendencies to swindling and his extreme lying。 As a young child his mother had to correct him much for prevarications。 Soon after he was 9； when both his parents were already dead； he forged a school certificate and was felt to be a bad influence in the home of his guardian。 About that time he also stole money from pockets on a number of occasions。 In school he was regarded as an undesirable pupil on account of his underhanded behavior； and one teacher who had observed him for long wrote that he showed marked inclination towards lying。 At the time he was 15； he was somewhat retarded in school life； but was told he had to decide upon an occupation。 After a stormy period he announced he would become a gardener。 After doing well for a month or so at his first place he began to tell compromising stories about the wife of his employer。 He gave himself out to be the son of a general who was going to inherit a large sum of money。 On the strength of this he managed to get hold of expensive articles he desired。 A short time afterward he wrote to his guardian he was fitted for higher pursuits than that of gardening。 Soon afterward he ran away to a large town。 He now wrote that the word freedom sounded like the sweetest music in his ears。 He acknowledged that he had started on a career of criminality； but decided to do better。 At this time he attempted to make his way by offering his compositions at a newspaper office where they were declined either because his productions were immature or his authorship was doubted。 One editor loaned him some money； but he got much more by representing himself to be a collaborator of this editor。 He soon failed to make his way and attempted other things； including entrance into the merchant marine。 He finally turned up again at his guardian's house； and when his box was opened it was found to contain a very curious lot of material such as money accounts； business cards； letter heads； catalogues。 It was at this time that he was placed for observation in an asylum and it was soon found that his allege