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1250
13th century, China
First case ever recorded using forensic science. Someone was stabbed so all of the knives in the village were taken. But the flies were drawn to the blood on the blade and landed on one of the knife. The murderer, afraid, eventually confessed. -
"Father of forensic Toxicology"
Mathieu Orfila was a chemist who published the first scientific paper regarding poisons and their effects on animals. -
William Hershel and thumbsprints
He used thumbprints on document to identify workers in India. -
"Father of criminal identification"
Alphonse Bertillon, developed Anthropometry which uses body measurements to distinguish individuals. -
Henry Faulds
He used fingerprints to eliminate an innocent man from being a suspect in a burglary. -
First Sherlock Holmes story
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published his first Sherlock Holmes story. It is considered to be the first "CSI" story, it features in four novels and 56 short stories. It popularized scientific crime-detection methods. -
Publishing of "Finger Prints"
Francis Galton published "Finger Prints". It conducted the first definitive study of fingerprints and their classification, he gave proof of their uniqueness. -
Publishing of "Criminal Investigation"
Hans Gross wrote the first paper describing the application of scientific principles to the field of criminal investigation. He also published "Criminal Investigation". -
Discovering of the blood types.
Karl Landsteiner discovered the ABO blood groups, he later received the Nobel prize. -
Publishing of "Questioned Documents"
Albert S. Osborn developed the fundamental principles off document examination. He also wrote "Questioned Documents". -
Foundation of the Institute of Criminalistics
Edmond Locard incorporated Gross' principles within a workable crime lab; he became the founder and director of the Institute of Criminalistics at the University of Lyon, in France. -
Leone Lattes and dried blood
He developed a method for determining blood types from dried blood. -
First Crime lab in the USA.
August Vollmer established the first crime lab in the United States. It is located in Los Angeles. -
Comparison microscope.
Calvin Goddard developed a comparison microscope; first used to compare bullets to see if fired from the same weapon.
