In cases involving badly decomposed bodies the first thing to do is to examine the fingers to see if all are present. If they are not, an effort should be made to determine whether the missing finger or fingers or even a hand was amputated during the person's lifetime, or whether the loss was due to other causes such as destruction by animal or marine life. Deductions from this 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]