is examination should be noted on
the fingerprint record. This point is made in view of the fact that in
the fingerprint files of the FBI and some police departments, the
fingerprint cards reflecting amputations are filed separately. Noting
amputations may lessen to a great extent a search through the
fingerprint files.

In making the initial examination, attention should be given to the
removal of dirt, silt, grease and other foreign matter from the
fingers. Soap and water are good cleansing agents. So is xylene, a
chemical which will readily clean grease and fatty matter from the
fingers. Good results can be achieved by utilizing a child's
soft-bristled toothbrush in cases where the skin is fairly firm. The
brushing should be done lightly and the strokes should follow the
ridge design in order to clean not only the ridges but the depressions
as well. In the event that the skin is not firm enough to use the
toothbrush, a cotton swab may be used. The fingers should be wiped
very lightly with either soap and water or xylene, always following
the ridge contours.

At this point the fingers are again examined to determine the
condition they are in, based upon the circumstances in which the body
was found. Study and actual experience have shown that there are three
general types of conditions to be considered: Decomposition or
putrefaction, prevalent in bodies found in brush or buried in earth;
desiccation or mummification (that is, dried out), noted in bodies
which have been found in the open (ridge detail not in contact with
the ground) in dry protected places, or bodies subjected to severe
heat; and the group involving maceration (water soaking), which
ordinarily results from being immersed in water.

The degree of decomposition, desiccation, or maceration varies from a
comparatively early stage to an extremely advanced stage. Accordingly,
each case must be considered individually. For example, what is done
successfully in one case of desiccation may not show favorable results
in another. Hence, the techniques outlined below point out generally
what can be done, and has been done, with success.

[Illustration: 393]

When a body is found, the hands usually will be tightly clenched. The
first problem will be to straighten the fingers. If rigor mortis has
set in and an effort to straighten the fingers as previously explained
fails, the difficulty can be overcome easily. Using a scalpel, make a
deep cut at the second j