PARAFFIN TEST

Prepared by:
PASOQUIN, BEBIE JANE P.
Materials and Apparatus:
• Paraffin wax • Bondpaper
Materials and Apparatus:
• Beaker or Casserole • Absorbent cotton
Materials and Apparatus
• Burner • Tongs
Procedure:

Heat the paraffin wax in a beaker/casserole until it

melts. Allows cooling for a few minutes so that it w
ill not burn the skin.
Let the subject wash hands with water without usi
ng any soap or detergent. Wipe the hands of the s
ubject with clean absorbent cotton.
Let the subject place his hands to a clean sheet of bo
nd paper with the palms facing downward and the fin
gers closed together. Using a tong with cotton, pour t
he melted paraffin wax on the hand of the subject fro
m the thumb and index and the dorsal portion to the
little finger side of the hands.
Cover the hands and fingers thoroughly with paraffin
wax and place a thin layer to absorbent cotton to rein
force the wax.
Pour another layer of the wax until absorbent cotton
has totally absorbed the wax.
Allow the wax to cool and solidify to form a cast befo
re peeling them off.
When cooled, direct the subject to move the fingers
first and slowly moving his hands out from the casts
.
Write on the bond paper the important
identifications of the casted paraffin. Place
another bond paper on top of paraffin casts and
staple together.
Place the paraffin casts inside an envelope or a
box for a proper preservation.
a. During the first step of paraffin casting, why the
subject must wash his/her hands first?

In order to remove contaminants like urine,

cigarette, or fertilizer. This substances contain
nitrates so they will give a positive reaction.
b. Is it a conclusive test for firing? If not, whay?

Paraffin test is NOT CONCLUSIVE but just

corroborative evidence which intends to support
testimony of eyewitness/es. There are instances
wherein the person who actually discharged a gun
still give a negative result because of several
factors; type of caliber ammunitions, length of the
barrel, age of the gun, direction of firing, wind
direction and velocity, percentage moisture in air or
using a gloves and when 72hours has already
lapsed.