Studies in Identification. No. 6
| Author | Sydney Smith |
| Published date | 01 April 1940 |
| Date | 01 April 1940 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X4001300204 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Studies in Identification. No. 6
By
SYDNEY
SMITH,
M.D.
Department
of Forensic Medicine, University of
Edinburgh.
IN
my previous notes I have indicated from time to time the
necessity of preserving every particle of material found in
connection with a case, and have stressed the value of every-
thing found, however small, for the purpose of identification.
Ipropose in this number of THE
POLICE
JOURNAL
to describe
two cases in which small fragments of
the
body have led to
absolute identification.
The
first case concerns
the
disappearance of a man and his
wife, whom we may call
Mr.
and Mrs. A.
They
were known
to have spent anight in the premises of an individual whom
we shall call B. No further information was obtainable about
them after
that
night, and B's statement
that
they
had
left in
the
morning to travel to another town was accepted. As,
however, the disappearance was complete,
the
A's friends
became suspicious and an investigation was opened. Suspicion
fell upon B, and asearch was made of his house.
Certain rather suspicious stains were found in
the
house,
which were thought to be bloodstains, but, on examination, no
traces of human blood were found in them.
In
general the
search of the house was negative, except for faint traces of a
washed bloodstain on the shirt sleeve of B.
The
garden adjoining
the
premises was dug
up.
At one
portion adistinct putrefactive smell was observed, and in this
area, at a depth of a little over a foot, a piece of skin was
found, which appeared to be
the
skin of a hand. Nearby there
was found adead worm similar to the round worms infesting
the human intestine. Nothing else was found. Even without
the piece of skin the worm would have been of importance.
The
investigation continued and information was obtained
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