按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
To emphasize the method by which he arrived at this conclusion and to gain at the same time some knowledge of the problems he dealt with； we may review in bare outline his case…studies。
The first patient presented by Delbruck was an Austrian maid…servant who in her wanderings through Austria and Switzerland had played at various times the roles of Roumanian princess； Spaniard of royal lineage； a poor medical student； and the rich friend of a bishop。 Her lying revealed a mixture of imagination； boastfulness； deception； delusion； and dissimulation。 She romanced wonderfully about her royal birth and wrote letters purporting to be from a cardinal to herself。 She fled disguised as a man from an educational institution to Switzerland where her sex was discovered。 It appeared that she was subject to contrary sex feelings and thought of herself as a man。 She was under the observation of Krafft…Ebing at one time。 He considered it at least as a case of paranoia。 Others had determined the girl to be a psychopath who indulged in simulations and lies。 Delbruck denominated it a case of direct lying with a tendency to phantasies； delusions； and dissimulations。 Delbruck from this case argues that a mixture of lies and delusions is possible； comparing such a state with dreaming and with the hypnotic condition in which one follows the suggestion of the hypnotizer and is still aware of the fact。 It was evident at times that this girl half believed her own stories； then again that she had forgotten her former lies。 In her； Delbruck considers perverted sex feeling and hysteria revealed a brain organization abnormal from birth。 There was the instinctive tendency to lie。
The second patient； an epileptic girl； had been many times imprisoned and also sent to the Charite for examination into her sanity before Delbruck saw her。 Her peculiar method was to approach strangers； claiming to be a relative coming from another city to visit。 If cordially received she would stay as long as her welcome lasted； then depart taking with her any of their possessions her fancy chose。 Many prominent physicians examined her and were unable to decide as to her responsibility； judges and others said she was a willful deceiver； a refined swindler。 Delbruck； looking deeper； found that she was suffering from hysteria； having hystero…epileptic seizures with following delirium； or rather twilight states。 Though her delinquencies seemed to show cunning and skill； a careful investigation revealed the fact that this was merely aberrant。 Generally her thieving was undertaken in feebleminded fashion； many times she stole things worthless to herself。 Evidences of her pathological mentality were that she would give orders for groceries； would buy children's clothes； or send for a physician under an assumed name。 She might not go back for the groceries； but after ordering them would say she would return with the carriage。 The characteristic fact throughout her career was that she wished to appear to be some one wealthier； more influential than she was。 Delbruck classifies her as high…grade feebleminded； suffering from convulsive attacks and peculiar states of consciousness； with a morbid tendency to lying。 She possessed no power to realize the culpable nature of her acts when she was performing them。
His third patient as a boy appeared normal both mentally and physically。 In his youth he went through the gymnasium and then studied theology。 He spent money very freely on clothing and books； but at this period neither stole nor lied。 After finishing his theological studies； he preached in his home town and was regarded as a young man of great promise。 Then came a change； he began to write strange letters； telling of some positions offered him； he borrowed money freely from relatives and friends who were willing to give because they believed in his coming career。 When studied； it was concluded by Delbruck that this was a case of constitutional psychosis； hysteria； moral insanity； and psychopathyall of these forms being interrelated。 Outside of masturbation； begun in early childhood and indulged in excessively at times； no causal factors were discovered。 He considered that this case offered a good illustration of the peculiar coexistence of real lies and delusions in the same individual。
His fourth case was that of an artful； deceitful； arrogant； selfish boy； always clever in excuses； who had stolen from the age of twelve； often stolen things that he threw away。 Though of Protestant family； he delighted to draw Catholic insignia and embroider religious characters。 He finally entered the university； always lying and stealing。 At the end of three months he was taken home in debt 2000 marks。 He later became a Catholic。 Outside of normal expense he had cost his father 28；000 marks。 By the time he was studied he had already taken opium for four years； having started because of neuralgia。 There had been a severe operation on account of some trouble with the teeth。 It was discovered that there was contrary sexual feeling in this case also。 The patient had a great inclination for doing woman's handwork。 Delbruck again considered the early appearance of character anomalies and perverted sex feeling to prove a deep…seated abnormality of nervous constitution。 He diagnosed it as a case of constitutional psychosis； the extent of the abnormalities showing the individual to be irresponsible。
His last patient was an alcoholic adventurer； early life unknown； who had an idiotic sister。 He had lived long in America and returned to Germany full of stories of his wonderful achievements over seas。 This case does not concern us except to emphasize the influence of alcohol in the development of such cases。
This outline is sufficient to show the justification of his conclusion； namely； that just as in healthy people a mixing of lies and mistakes may occur； so the same combination may reach a pathological height； and one can diagnose a mixture of lies with delusions or false memories。
These studies focus our attention on the following points which are valuable to emphasize for the purpose of this monograph： the complexity of details to be examined in the life of any one patient in whose delinquencies pathological lying is a factor； the variety of cases in which this factor may occur； hence the difficulties in the way of determining the extent to which the patient is responsible for his deeds and whether he belongs in a reformatory or an insane hospital。 From the standpoint of society Delbruck's work has great use； since it reveals so plainly the menace that these liars are to their families and to the community as a whole； their unscrupulousness in financial dealings； their tendencies to bring false accusations involving families and friends alike in useless expense and litigation。
German studies on pseudologia phantastica since Delbruck's time have followed the line of amplification of his views and clarification of the subject by the addition of new types。
Koppen＇9＇ attempted to differentiate sharply and to analyze more accurately the conception of the pathological lie。 He found it impossible to make an absolute separation between pathological lies and normal lies。 The lies of the mentally diseased are seldom pathological。 They lie； but their lies do not differ from those of the mentally sound。 We cannot call the results delusional lies。 Among imbeciles we find a peculiar disposition to lying； especially among those of criminal inclination。 Their lies do not separate themselves either in content or in relation to the rest of their ideas from the lies of the mentally diseased。 Here follows his positive contribution to the conception； the pathological lie is active in character； a whole sequence of experiences is fabricated and the products of fancy brought forward with a certainty that is astonishing。 The possibility that the untruth may be at any minute demolished does not abash the liar in the least。 Remonstrances against the lies make no impression。 On closer inspection we find that the liar is no longer free； he has ceased to be master of his own lies； the lie has won power over him； it has the worth of a real experience。 In the final stage of the evolution of the pathological lie； it cannot be differentiated from delusion。 Pathological lies have long been credited to hystericals； they are now known to arise in alcoholics； imbeciles； degenerates。 All pathological liars have a purpose； i。e。； to decorate their own person； to tell something interesting； and an ego motive is always present。 They all lie about something they wish to possess or be。
＇9＇ ‘‘Ueber die pathologische Lugner；'' Charite…Annalen； 8； 1898。 Pp。 674…719。
Koppen offers three case studies： I。 A man who had suffered from many epileptic seizures came from a family in which there was insanity。 He gave himself many false titles； and from his childhood pathological lying had been a prominent symptom。 As an example； when he married against his father's will； he at the wedding read a false dispatch； pretending it to be congratulations from his family。 Koppen suggests that this individual was incapable of meeting life as it really was and he therefore wove a m