NEWS IN BRIEF.

Patea Mail, Volume XLIV, 1 December 1920, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF.

FINGER NAIL CLUES. A method of identifying criminals which improves on the now universally used Bertillon or finger-print method has been discovered by Dv. Henri Boclcre, a well-known student of radiography. Not only are the finger-prints of every human being different, but the position of the bones of the fingers and also the shape of the nails are different.

Dr. Bcclcrc utilises this fact in his method, which consists in making an X-ray photograph of the hand, showing the bones and the finger-nails. Ordinarily such a photograph would not show the flesh, but in order that the record might be complete, the fingers arc soaked in an opaque salt, by means of which all flic lines and marks are clearly shown. Dr. Boclcre considers that the possibility afforded by his discovery of keeping a record of hails as well as of finger-prints should prove of the greatest use in identifying criminals. HUNGHH STKIKHHS OP OTTIEL’ DAY*. It is generally assumed that hunger striking in prison is a new invention, but that is not so, says the Sunday Tin'ies. As long ago as 1880 a young workman at Cusa.no signalised the beginning of a sentence of four years’ imprisonment by refusing to take food. In thirty days he was dead. As the priests considered him lo have com mil tod suicide, ho was buried without religious rites. The Welsh “fasting girl,” Sarah Jacobs, feigned to be able to do without food, and for some months her parents made a profitable show of her her, dressed as a bride and lying on a gaily •decked bed. When sceptical medical men from Guy’s Hospital kept a strict watch, Sarah died in wight days. Her parents were indicted for manslaughter. Though the girl was a party to the fraud, yet her parents were bound lo supply her wants, so it only took (lie jury at Carmarthen Assizes fifteen minutes to find n verdict of “Guilty.” The unnatural father and mother were awarded twelve months and six months respectively.