pathology of lying-第53章
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nd at one time suffered extremely from constipation。 Walked and talked early。 No convulsions。 Menstruated first several months ago。 Sometimes complains of severe headaches。 One observer reported that the girl had been subject to slight melancholia within the last year。 Choreic movements have been present off and on for about a year； but have not been marked until a little while previous to the incident which brought her to us。 The diagnosis had been made that it was a case of mild St。 Vitus dance。 During all the year Nellie had been regarded as in general unreliable； but nothing of importance had happened prior to the above episode。
Nellie's story as told to us seemed coherent enough。 Apparently she had entire memory of her past actions and； in general； of what she had said。 Her own statements convinced us as much as anything else of her unreliability at times。 It seems she had run away and gone to a picture show and had fallen asleep there。 When she got out it was very late； but it was election night and people were about on the street。 She finally was accosted by a woman who took her home。 After her story of being led off by a man the police were called into the case and she gave them her remarkable statement。 Nellie told us of picking up with a man； too； who lured her to a theatre； but who left her there。 There was no way of corroborating this。 She fully acknowledged to us the lies which had created so much trouble。 ‘‘Well； I was telling the first lies and then when I was going to tell him that I knew that I was telling wrong he acted so cranky and said such things to me。 He said he knew somebody had done bad things to me and so I thought I had to give the name of somebody and so I gave those names。
‘‘The girls around in the schools I used to go to talked about these things。 I never went with them。 I was always by myself。 None of the boys said bad things。 The police were so cranky I did not know what else to say。 They said someone must have done it to me when I was younger and I said it was my cousin because he always used to want to。 He said he would give me a pair of skates if I would。 He was 13。 I never asked my grandmother or anyone about these things。 No one ever explained it to me。 Just the girls are the ones who told me about these things。 They told me themselves how they had been out at night with the boys。 I never did do it with anybody。''
Examination by a gynecologist about this time showed positively that there had been no immoral relations； and after our findings the case became a closed incident so far as prosecuting anybody was concerned。 Nellie was taken in hand by the family physician and no further delinquencies or false accusations have been complained of during the succeeding two years。
Outside of the girl's general frank bearing； undoubtedly a point rather indicating to the police possible truth in her statements； was the detail in which the alleged events were given。 The signed statement coming from an apparently naive girl of 15 would seem in its clearness and coherency to bear the earmarks of truth。 We always regarded this case as one of our interesting examples showing the unreliability of girl witnesses； especially those who have had unfortunate experiences； even though merely mental； with sex affairs。
… Mentality： Mild choreic psychosis。 Case 23。 Girl； age 15 years。 Early clandestine sex teachings。 Delinquencies： Mentality： Running away。 Normal ability； False accusations。 temporary aberration。 …
CASE 24
Summary： A girl of 16 whose general conditions won ready sympathy created much trouble。 She repeatedly made serious accusations against a man and her attempt at suicide made her statement seem convincing。 Further study showed the absolute falsity of her charges。 It was a case of hysteria which had developed largely upon a basis of injurythere was a traumatic psychoneurosis。 Under good treatment she made a fine recovery； there being no more indulgence in pathological accusations； although her nervous symptoms recurred for a short time after a couple of years。
At the time when we first saw Georgia B。 she was somewhat over 16 years old and had been only 5 years in this country。 We saw her because she had run away from home and attempted suicide。 From the latter she had been rescued； and then had accused a neighbor of raping her。 The case proved to be very troublesome until the nature of the whole affair was understood。
We found a thin and anemic girl； not at all prepossessing in appearance； dull in expression； suffering from a chronic suppurating otitis media。
On the mental side we had much trouble in conducting an examination because she was greatly given to tears。 She did work for us on a few tests and her efforts would have been graded as those of a feebleminded person if her emotional state had been left out of account。 Even our physical examination was largely hindered through her crying。 However； her story was told in a straightforward way and with that show of emotion which had previously convinced others that grave injustice had been done her。 Distinct proof of hysteria was present； for instance； on one occasion in the middle of a test Georgia apparently became unconscious。 Her head dropped to the table； but her lips were red； her face did not change color； she resisted having her head moved； and in a moment or two lifted it herself to a more comfortable position。 The diagnosis from such symptoms as these and from her history was not difficult to make。
The ‘‘Aussage'' test； for obvious reasons； was not given。
Georgia told her story with surprising coherency； in outline； it was as follows： She ran away from home； and then was put under protection of the police authorities by a man who caught her。 She said she was caught when standing by a drug store where she had been to get medicine； just ten cents worth of peroxide。 When asked by us if it were not really carbolic acid she called for； she said yes； it was and that she intended to take it。 She wanted to get rid of her life。 What could she do in the way of living？ Her father and mother were both sick and they could not live long and then how could she get along taking care of three little children？ When asked if her parents would not be terribly affected by her suicide she said that it would not be the first time they had buried a child。 At this time she would go no further into her history。
On the next day she talked straight to the point； but with a remarkably dull expression on her face。 She said that about five weeks ago； she cannot tell the exact date； she went to a neighbor's house。 A man there wanted her to come and look at some pictures。 He finally got her to go to a bedroom and then held her so she could not scream； and raped her。 She is sure of it。 He later choked and beat her and kicked her out of the house。 At first she was afraid to tell her people。 A couple of weeks afterward she went back and asked why he did that； and he swore at her and accused her of being bad； and she and he talked back and forth for some time。 ‘‘He says； ‘I'll kill you。 I did not touch you at all。' I says； ‘You did。 You're a liar and you can kill me now if you want to。 You have already killed me。 See； I grow large like this。' '' He then set upon her and beat her again。 She has not seen him since。 After telling this Georgia began to cry very hard and said that she really is killed now and is done for。 The whole story was told in a straightforward way with a full show of emotion。
A complicating feature of this case； resultant upon lack of understanding of the characteristic vagaries of this type； was the action of a vigorous knight errant。 He was the one who rescued her。 Hearing her ask in the drug store for the carbolic acid； which she did not get； he thought she was desperate and questioned her； but she tearfully refused to answer。 He quietly followed her until she got to the river； and then； when she had her foot on the rail of the bridge and was about to jump off； he seized her。 She fo
