Part 24 (2/2)

If the underside of the epidermis or outer skin is being photographed, the negative should be printed in the normal manner, that is, emulsion side of negative to sensitized side of paper. Here, reversal of position is not necessary for when the ridge detail is viewed from the underside it appears to be in the same position as the inked impression normally is reflected on a fingerprint card.

Care should be taken to see that each photograph is labeled correctly to indicate the finger it represents, such as right thumb, right index, right ring, etc. It is imperative that no error occurs in such labeling, inasmuch as it is highly probable that the resultant cla.s.sification would be incorrect and failure to make an identification might very easily follow.

_Deceased infants_

The foregoing has dealt with the securing of fingerprints of unknown deceased persons for identification purposes. The basis for such action is the presumptive possibility that the unknowns had been fingerprinted previously and through this medium might be identified.

Another type of problem, however, arises with the finding of a deceased infant. It can be safely a.s.sumed that the possibility of there being in existence a set of known fingerprints of the infant is extremely remote. Nevertheless, in view of the fact that many hospitals throughout the country, as part of the general routine of recording a birth, secure the infant's footprints, it would follow that there could be a remote possibility of identifying the deceased infant through its footprints. The foregoing principles and procedures would then apply in securing the foot impression of a deceased infant.

It is fully realized that in practically all cases involving the finding of an abandoned infant corpse the infant is probably illegitimate issue and delivery did not occur in a hospital, but there have been instances where such was not the case.

The importance of securing footprints of deceased infants killed in a common disaster cannot be overemphasized. Such disasters may involve the death of infants of lawful issue, and in many instances there are hospital footprint records available which may prove of value as a positive means of identification.

_Technical consideration_

The methods described are intended to record, either by printing with ink or by photographing as legibly as possible, the ridge details of the tips of the fingers of unknown dead for identification purposes.

The securing of the impressions enables the fingerprint examiner to cla.s.sify and search them through a file. This ”search,” of course, means merely to make a comparison of the deceased's prints with the prints of known individuals.

It is well to bear in mind the fact that the dermis or epidermis may have undergone certain physical changes and that in order for the fingerprint examiner to make a proper comparison he must know the changes which can and do occur. Otherwise, he may fail to make an identification (fig. 403).

[Ill.u.s.tration: 403. Epidermis or outer layer of skin commencing to peel from dermis or second layer of skin, result of decomposition.]

Consider first the epidermis or outer layer of skin in cases of maceration (the skin is water soaked). There may be considerable swelling. The ridges become broader and are more distinct. An inked impression in such an instance may show a pattern larger in area than a print made from the same finger when the person was alive. Also, if the skin is on the finger but is loose, inking and rolling could distort the impression so that some of the ridge formations would seem to be in a different alignment from corresponding details in a print made during life. When decomposition commences, what are really solid ridges may be broken, giving rise to the possibility that there appear to be more characteristics than there actually are (figs. 404 and 405).

[Ill.u.s.tration: 404. Inked fingerprint made during life.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 405. Inked impression of same finger of deceased showing effect of decomposition.]

The existence of wrinkles may also cause the impression to acquire an appearance of dissimilarity when compared with the original inked print.

With respect to cases of desiccation, there will probably be shrinkage, hence, the impressions made may appear smaller than in life and the ridges will be finer. In cases in which the epidermis has been lost and there remains only the dermis or second layer, there will usually be shrinkage with the same results. Here also, wrinkles, if present, may cause a difference in appearance from the normal print.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 406]

In addition to shrinkage and wrinkles in cases involving the second layer of skin, there is a radical change in the appearance of the ridges themselves. The second or dermal layer of skin is composed of what are called dermal papillae which have the appearance of minute blunt pegs or nipples. The dermal papillae are arranged in double rows (fig. 406). Each double row lies deep in a ridge of the surface or epidermal layer and presents the same variations of ridge characteristics as are on the outer layer of skin except that they are double. Accordingly, when the second layer of skin is printed or photographed, the ridge detail will appear in double. That is, the ridges will appear as though they were split. This may well confuse the fingerprint examiner in that what may be a loop having 10 ridge counts may appear to be a loop having 20 ridge counts when the impression is made from the second or dermal layer of skin. These double rows of ridges are finer and not as sharp as the detail on the outer skin, which adds to the difficulty of arriving at a correct cla.s.sification and making a proper comparison.

_FBI aid_

The above techniques and procedures have been dealt with upon the basis that the law enforcement officers would, when a corpse has been found, attempt to secure a set of finger impressions in an effort to identify the unknown dead. If, however, the officer feels that the job is too difficult or is beyond his scope, consideration should be given to cutting off the hands or fingers of the deceased and forwarding them to the Identification Division of the FBI for processing. If this course is decided upon, it is reiterated that local statutes governing the cutting of the dead must be complied with and proper authorization must be secured.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 407]

In order to facilitate the transmission of such specimens to the FBI the following suggestions are made:

First, it is deemed most desirable, when possible, to have both of the hands, severed at the wrist, forwarded in their entirety (fig. 407).

It is desired that the hands, rather than each separate finger, be sent inasmuch as it eliminates the possibility of getting the fingers mixed up or incorrectly labeled. If, however, it is not possible to send the hands for some reason, then, of course, the fingers should be cut off and forwarded. In cutting, the fingers should be cut off at the palm beginning with the right thumb, then the right index, ring, etc., just as though they were to be printed. As soon as each finger is cut off it should be placed in an individual container, such as a small gla.s.s jar, and immediately marked as to which particular finger it is.

In the event that the hands or fingers of more than one dead are being transmitted, it is absolutely necessary that not only the fingers be properly labeled but that each body also be given an identifying number or symbol which must be indicated on the hands or fingers cut from that body as well, in order to avoid the embarra.s.sing situation of identifying the hands and not knowing from which body they were cut.

<script>