Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1892 — Finger Tip Evidence. [ARTICLE]

Finger Tip Evidence.

Further evidence as to the reliability of finger tip impressions for indicating character or establishing indentity, u subject that has of late attracted a great deal of attention, hus been compiled and published by Dr. d’Abundo. After examining tho fingers of seven idiots he found tliut the markings on tho tips of all the fingers on each hand were identical, thus showing a marked difference between those of idiots and of sane people. The thumb tips of one idiot nud the same markings as those of his fingers. There wus tv noticeable smoothness of finger tips in all idiots. In one caso there was a perfect resemblance between the markings on the fingers of an idiot and on those of his mother. Out of twenty cases of imbecility, in four only was one sort of tracing found on all the fingers, in the remaining sixteen a tendency to repetition asserting itself to a considerable extent. In hemiplegia, when the lesion was of old standing, a distinct smoothness of tho finger tips was noticed, which, prevented the obtaining of good impressions. A prominent medical authority is of the opinion that, from a medico-legal point of view, these researches may ultimately have an important bearing an .crimes of a sanguinary nature. For instance, if drawings were taken of .the impression of a hand bathed in blood the markings would bo most clear, more especially if tho criminal had not merely laid his hand on any papers, but had actually fingered them. The evidence of crime would be still more valuable If the criminal had any peculiarity .of finger .tip impressions.—[Courier Journal.