ld
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).

[Illustration: 404. Inked fingerprint made during life.]

[Illustration: 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.

[Illustration: 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
classification 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.