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1300
China
There is a stabbing in a village. All of the knives are collected and when put in the same place, flies are only attracted to one blade. This is the first recorded use of forensic science in a criminal investigation. -
Period: 1300 to
Timespan
All this happened between these two. -
Mathieu Orfila
The "Father of Forensic Toxicology" is known as such because of his work identifying the affects of various toxins and poisons on animals. His work could be applied to cases involving humans as well. -
William Herschel
Used thumbprints to identify workers he'd employed in India. This was useful for forensic identification of criminals. -
Alphonse Bertillon
Began using precise body measurements to identify people and looked into difference between male and female skeletons. -
Henry Faulds
Used fingerprints to eliminate an innocent suspect in a burglary case. -
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The author of the Sherlock Holmes story and is considered the first CSI writer. -
Francis Galton
Published the first definitive study of fingerprints, basically wrote the guide for forensic fingerprinting -
Hans Gross
Wrote the first paper describing the applications of scientific processes and principles to criminal investigation. He published "Criminal Investigation" -
Kari Landsteiner
Discovered the ABO blood groups test and received the Nobel Prize to it. -
Edmond Locard
Incorporated the works of Hans Gross within a specific setting, a Crime Lab. He also founded and directed the Institute of Criminalistics and the University of Lyons. -
Albert S. Osborn
Published "Questioned Documents," developed fundamental principles of document examination. -
Leone Lattes
Developed method for determining blood type from dried blood samples. -
August Vollmer
Established a crime lab in Los Angeles, the first one in the United States. -
Calvin Goddard
Developed a comparison microscope, one that can view two samples at the same time with no risk of contamination. Useful for comparing bullets and other samples with physical indications.
