Special Marks

SPECIAL MARKS are individual features of the body visible during external inspection; their presence helps in the identification of unknown persons. Special marks are a not strictly limited concept. In particular, these include curvatures of the spine, lower legs (rickets), and other parts, shortening of limbs, partial absence of limbs (amputation), bone growths, and so forth. These specified irregularities in bone structure have repeatedly played a prominent role in establishing personal identity on badly decomposed corpses and skeletons. Other features observed on the body, particularly on the skin of the face—such as birthmarks, warts, tumors, scars, and the like—also have essential significance; then corneal opacities, absence of the eyeball, nose defects, deformities (harelip), anomalies in the shape and arrangement of teeth, sometimes artificial teeth, deformation or absence of the auricle, and the like. Tattoo marks with images on the skin of initials of one's own name, digits of the year, various objects, often indicating the profession of the given person, also belong to special marks; for example, the image of crossed swords and sabers in soldiers, anchors in sailors, axes in butchers and carpenters, hammers in masons and locksmiths. The location of the tattoo is most frequently the inner surface of the shoulder, forearm, less often the chest, the back of the hand, and as an exception even the penis. The significance of such a finding on the corpse of an unknown person is also clear. Therefore, it was suggested by some to forcibly tattoo criminals for the recognition of recidivists, similar to the branding that was once practiced in Russia. Thus, under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (1637), coin counterfeiters were branded on the cheeks with the word "thief" for evidence, so that these thieves would be "notable." It should be noted that on a corpse, tattoo marks may become indistinguishable due to putrefaction. In living persons, a tattoo sometimes disappears over time due to the entry of paint into lymph vessels and glands; it can be destroyed (Tardieu) by the action of caustic acids with the subsequent formation of a flat scar on the skin. Occupational changes in the hands also serve as special marks; thus, with certain jobs, peculiar and rather characteristic calluses form on the skin (e.g., the hands of a tailor-cutter, shoemaker, bronze carver, locksmith, blacksmith, etc.). Various colorings of the skin and fingernails have the same significance. In particular, carpenters have black-brown nails, tobacco processors have brown ones, those dealing with indigo have blue ones, those with picric acid have yellow ones, and tanners have brownish-red ones. Finally, special marks can include the property of a given person to use predominantly the left hand (left-handedness). In right-handed people, the musculature of the right arm is developed more strongly, the circumference of the shoulders and forearms is larger, the bones are longer, and the nails (according to Minakov) are wider and flatter. In left-handed people, the relation is reverse. The presence of special marks in many cases is of essential benefit in the identification of unknown persons. The description of special marks (the verbal portrait—see Anthropological study of criminals), along with other research results, is entered into a special card of the given person. The cards are kept in identification bureaus existing in all large cities.