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Carl Wilhelm Scheele
In 1775 Scheele created the first successful test to find poison arsenic in corpses. -
Mathieu Orfila
Orfila published the first scientific treatise on finding poison and the effects of poisons on animals. Creating forensic toxicology. -
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1st use of photography in forensics
Through the 1850s and 1860s photography started being used in forensics. Taking images of crime scenes. -
First blood test
The first test for blood was created in 1863. -
Alphonse Betillon
Bertillon created a new system of personal identification. It was called anthropometry. Which was a series of body measurements to distinguish different individuals. -
Sherlock Holmes & Dr. John Watson
In the novel of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson they are using many scientific methods for crimes that were not yet being used. Such as the study of blood, bodily fluids, fingerprinting, questioned-document examination, and firearm identification. These methods appear in Sherlock Holmes far before it was used in police work. It was believed that this had a great influence on forensic science. -
1st proof supporting fingerprints
Francis Henry Galton published a book on fingerprints and the proof supporting the effectiveness of his new method of personal identification using fingerprints. -
Karl Landsteiner
Landsteiner discovered different blood groups. He discovered that blood groups are A, B, AB, and O. -
Edmond Locard
Locard was the one that started the first forensic police laboratory. This forensic lab was a huge success. Locard also started implementing a new principle (Locards exchange principle) stating that anytime two things touch each other there will be traces of the 2 materials on each other. This was very useful in forensics for Locard. -
Dr. Leone Lattes
Lattes was the first one to realize that using blood types can be used to identify people. He created a technique for determining blood group from a dried blood stain to be used in criminal investigations. It was the first blood test. -
First U.S. Forensic Lab
The first U.S. forensics lab was created by August Vollmer as a part of the Los Angeles Police Department. -
U.S. Army Colonel Calvin Goddard
Colonel Goddard was one of the first to begin using microscopes in forensics. He used forensics for firearms by using a microscope to determine whether a certain gun has fired a bullet. -
FBI started their Forensics Lab
J. Edgar Hoover opened the FBI´s first forensic lab for law enforcement all over the country. -
FBI opened Forensic Science Research and Training Center
In 1981 the FBI opened a forensic science research and training center to develop new scientific methods for forensic science. -
Sir Alec Jeffreys
Jeffreys created the first DNA profiling test that was later applied to crimes. This new test has revolutionized forensic science.