The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-17

This interest has again revived. We do
not refer TO the peculiar palm and wrist
lines. which give some evidence OF the dis
position Of the person, though that is a
capital study. OF course. indicating the
probable future OF a man by the markings
on his hand is fraught With superstition
and encourages deception, yet there Is
some character to be determined by these
plain marks. In the same way, though we
cannot agree with the details Of phrenOlO-
gy, there is character TO be determined by
the markings in the c~ountenance. Two or
three scratches with a pencil. one way or
another, on an outline face drawing will
indicate different temperaments. a glance
at our ordinary comic journals will at once
convince our readers Of this principle.
FINGER MARKINGS.
But our object in discussing the markings
on the fingers is not for the purpose of de-
termining character or reading the future;
It is to show the individuality Of the per-
son in his framework. BY these he can be
Identified, for no two persons have the
same markings. As different as are coun-
t~enances, so are the finger markings. This
seems Incredible, but 1t is true. Close OBJ
servation will convince all our readers OF
Its truth. Look at your finger points. IL
you have a small hand magnifying glass
you viii be able TO examine them more
distinctly. You will, on these first joints.
hnd fine lines which take their origin from
various centers. They proceed from vari-
Gus centers in spirals and whOrls. and dis
tribute themselves in beautiful designs over
the whole Of the underpart of the first
joints. a corresponding surface is on the
palms Of the hands and the soles of the
feet.
These varied designs were first studied
by Pivikinje. in fS22; and their physiology
cal character has been carefully elaborated
by many writer's since. especially HOLMAN,
in 1893. You observe that in one individual
the markings are very fine. in another the
burrows are deep and broad. On the fingers
Of my right hand the markings are excep-
tionally fine; the center is in the center Of
the joint, and close elliptic lines spread out
from this to the edges. There must be thir-
ty to forty Of them. On the left hand. on
the contrary, there is scarcely a distinct
elliptic line round the center, but all drag
away in a slant towards the little finger,
after the arch is formed round the center.
One thing 10 be observed is that when the
markings are not of the whorl order (as in
my right hand, the broken elliptic lines
Iake a UNIFORM SldHN III the one mana ana Il
slant in the opposite direction in the other
hand. Yet through life these lines never
change their form. Hence the means of
Identification.
In the eighteenth century Bewick, in Wig
nettea in the History Of Birds gave a
wood cut of his own thumb mark One of
the best means OF securing It is TO put the
thumb upon very thin printers ink and
way is TO touch with the thumb a surface
which is covered with very thin white
paint and press it upon the bright surface
of a mirror. This will give you a diagram
Of the lines OF the formation. To get a
craving of the burrows smoke a piece of
glass, press the finger on it and then re-
move the finger. The negative will be at
once shown. \ number of people could
put their marks together in this way upon
a glass slide and throw the impressions on
a white screen by means of a magic Ian
tern. The effect of the different markings
is by this plan brought most prominently
out. But let a dozen people put down their
thumb marks on a sheet of paper with
thin printers ink side by side and they
will at once see the distinctive charac-
t~eristics Of each; no two are the same in all
$1,000 A@0NA E1ASVAA q lACAELQIes Ills
own finger mark.
STRANGE BUT TRUE.
Moreover, this fnger-mark remains the
same for life This has been most care
fully studied by Sir William Herschel. an
officer in the Bengal civil service. In one
of his experiments. shown before the mem
bers of the Philosophical Institution. Lon
don, he showed the markings on his fore
finger after an interval of furor+,, tt.
years, one taken in 1850 and the other in
1SSS. Though a long time interviewed be-
tween the fixing of these two imprints, the
general character of the markings re-
manned the same.
Some years ago DR.. H. Faulds observed
In Japan some fnger-marks on specimens
of prehistoric pottery. These marks had
been made on the vessels while the clay
was soft. \ careful study of the finger
marks Of monkeys convinced him OF the
very close analogy to those of human be-
ings. Though the marks on the hands of
the Japanese differ considerably from
those Of Englishmen. there are some gener-
al similar characteristics Some individuals
men and wOmen-show quite a symmet-
rical development of the burrows. which
may originate in two principal ways, the
new furrow may arise in the middle of a
ridge, and a single furrow may divide and
form a letter y. When loops occur. the
innermost lines may break off and end
abruptly; they may end in self-returning
loops; or again. they may go on without
breaks after turning round upon them
selves.
An officer in Arizona used to make his or
ders for payment on a camp suttler, and
used his own thdmb-mark to serve the
same purpose as the elaborate markings
on bank cheques. The thumb-mark has
been used in China and elsewhere in at
testation of deeds. Sir William Herschei in
PRODUCED f~nger-marks for practical pur-
poses i'm several ways in India He had
heard that Chinese criminals I'm early times
were made to give the impressions of their
fingers. just as the criminals of this coun-
try are now photographed. In Egypt the
some Rich Indian liable
OF the so or more Indian babies Of the
kiowS, Comanche. Apache. Wichita or
I4THa Children Of tho ECrr+hn~avF rrnstI..