KLKPTOMAXIA 



r.v K. M. w 



There is nothing the average Enghshman prides 

 himself so greatly upon as his common sense. If 

 you ask him he will tell you that he detests humbug 

 in any shape or form, and believes in the grand old 

 custom of calling a spade a spade. Thus, in his 

 terse parlance a man, who shrinks from danger is 

 al\\a}S a coward, a man whose shifty eves seem 

 incapable of looking one in the face a " twister,"' 

 and the individual with a passion for handling other 

 people's property a thief. Such terms as neuropath, 

 kleptomaniac, and the like, are apt to be regarded by 

 him as rather contemptible excuses invented by 

 medical men to cover the sins of their well-to-do 

 patients. \\'ho, for example, has not heard the 

 biting comment " Poor men's sins, rich men's 

 maladies " ? 



Yet, and this in spite of the fact that such 

 strictures are sometimes justified, there do exist 

 certain true mental diseases, the symptoms of which 

 are easily capable of misconstruction as criminal. 

 And foremost among such is kleptomania, an 

 affliction which compels its unhappy victims to the 

 most persistent, incorrigible and irrational thieving. 

 For the true kleptomaniac can no more refrain from 

 stealing than can the unfortunate possessed bv a 

 mania for homicide from murder. 



It is the pleasure and excitement of the act of 

 stealing, never, or almost never, the desire of the 

 object stolen, which tempts the kleptomaniac and 

 which distinguishes her (kleptomaniacs are usually 

 women) from the common thief. The following 

 case, which occurred in the writer's practice, 

 illustrates this in a most striking manner. 



The individual concerned was a servant girl in a 

 large country house. She came to her employer 

 with a somewhat vaguely-worded character. She 

 was a strong-looking, well-built girl, distinctly 

 handsome and most pleasant and obliging. Her 

 mistress was highly pleased with her, so much so 

 indeed that, on leaving home to go abroad for a 

 few weeks, she entrusted her with the care of 

 the house and with the keys of the store-cupboard 

 and wine-cellar. 



Some time after her return she had occasion to 

 visit the latter place. To her amazement she found 

 that several bottles of champagne and at least half 

 a dozen of port were missing. In view of the con- 

 fidence reposed in the girl this came as a ver}- 

 unpleasant surprise. 



Being, however, a singularh- fair-minded woman, 

 she decided, even in the face of such strong evidence 

 of guilt, to take no immediate steps to bring the theft 

 home: but instead, and in a way to arouse as little 

 suspicion as possible, made enquiries of certain of 

 the other servants as to the girl's behaviour during 



her absence. Again, to her surprise, she learned 

 that this had been correct in every particular. There 

 was not even a suggestion of intemperance. 



Greatly puzzled, she had almost made up her 

 mind that she must have been mistaken, when one 

 evening she herself encountered the suspect in the 

 act of carrying a bottle of champagne out of the 

 cellar. Taxed with her guilt, the servant broke down 

 completely and confessed everything. She had 

 begun to tipple in her last place, and finding the 

 opportunity to her hand had yielded to what was an 

 overwhelming temptation. She pleaded earnesth' 

 for another chance. 



.\fter some hesitation this was granted, in the 

 shape of a month's probation under strict surveillance. 

 But long before that time had elapsed, matters were 

 again brought to crisis-point by the reported dis- 

 appearance of a bottle of methylated spirits. .At 

 this juncture the writer was called in, and the facts 

 of the case placed before him. 



He had to own himself completely baffled bv them. 

 F"<)r here was a record of what appeared like stead\- 

 drinking (champagne, port — at last, when the supplv 

 of wine failed, actually methylated spirits) occurring 

 under the sharp e\es of half a dozen fellow servants, 

 not one of whom had so much as suspected anything 

 amiss. On the face of it the thing seemed incredible. 

 Sooner or later such a state of affairs must have 

 aroused comment and suspicion. At the mistress' 

 request he saw the servant alone and (juestioned 

 her carefully. She admitted everything. She 

 actually seemed anxious to do so. She had taken 

 the wine to her bedroom and drunk it there during 

 the night. By morning all effect had passed off. 

 She assured him that the empty bottles were hidden 

 at the bottom of her trunk. 



There seemed to be nothing for it but to 

 recommend immediate dismissal. At the last 

 moment, however, and by the merest chance, 

 another explanation suggested itself — kleptomania. 

 Proof of the assertions was demanded in the shape 

 of the empty bottles. Instantly all contrition and 

 humility disappeared. The limp, tearful servant 

 became a hard-eyed defiant woman, daring any- 

 body to interfere with her personal belongings. 

 Faced, however, with the alternative of the police, 

 she at length capitulated. 



Then the astounding truth was revealed. In the 

 box were no fewer than eleven bottles, the contents 

 of which were, in each case, absolutely intact. 

 .\long with them were a man's waistcoat, recognised 

 as having been stolen from a recent visitor, a razor- 

 strop, a faded blue table-centre, an old linen 

 petticoat, the property of the mistress of the house, 

 and several equally absurd and valueless articles. 



