In cases where rigor mortis (stiffening of the muscles) has set in and
the fingers are tightly clenched, the fingers may be forcibly
straightened by "breaking the rigor." This is done by holding the hand
of the deceased person firmly with one hand, grasping the finger to be
straightened with the four fingers of the other hand and placing the
thumb, which is used as a lever, on the knuckle of the finger and
forcing it straight (fig. 389). The inking tool and "squares," as
previously explained, are then used to secure the fingerprint.

In the event the rigor cannot be completely overcome, it will be most
helpful to improvise or secure a spoon-shaped tool for holding the cut
squares or cut strips while printing the fingers, similar to the tool
mentioned briefly in the discussion of crippled fingers. This tool,
somewhat resembling a gouge without the sharp edge, should have a
handle, a concave end, and a frame or clamp to hold the cardboard
squares or strips. In Figure 390, one type of tool is illustrated.
This tool eliminates the necessity of rolling the deceased's finger,
since the "square" assumes the concave shape of the tool, and the
gentle pressure applied to the inked finger when it is brought in
contact with the square results in a "rolled" impression without
actually rolling the finger.

[Illustration: 389]

Another problem encountered in this second group includes cases in
which the tips of the fingers are fairly pliable and intact, yet due
to the presence of wrinkles in the skin, complete impressions cannot
be obtained. This condition can be corrected by the injection of a
tissue builder, procurable from a dealer in undertaker's supplies. If
this is not available, glycerin or water may be used.

The method is simple. Injection of the tissue builder, glycerin, or
water, is accomplished by the use of a hypodermic syringe. The
hypodermic needle is injected at the joint of the finger up into the
tip of the finger, care being used to keep the needle below the skin
surface (fig. 391). The solution is injected until the finger "bulbs"
are rounded out, after which they are inked and printed.

Occasionally, in stubborn cases, entry of the needle at the joint and
injection of the fluid will not completely fill the finger bulb. It
may be necessary, therefore, to inject the fluid at other points of
the finger such as the extreme tip or sides, until suitable results
are achieved (fig. 392). The tissue builder has a di