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44 BCE
Julius Caesar Autopsy
Antistius was a Roman physician around 44 BC. He performed the first recorded autopsy on Julius Caesar after his murder -
Period: 44 BCE to
History of Forensics
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200
Paries Palmatus
Roman jurist Quintilian used bloody hand prints to prove a person innocent. A blind man was accused of a murder. Quintilian proved the hand print in blood would have been dragged by a blind man feeling his way out of the room. The print wasn't a drag mark. This is the first trial with forensics. -
1247
Hsi yüan chi lu
"The Washing Away of Wrongs" was a Chinese book written by Song Ci in 1247. Its the first book that helps determine the cause of death. -
1500
Foundation for Modern Pathology
Fortunato Fidelis and Paolo Zacchia started studying the effects of death on internal organs. The laid the groundwork for modern pathology. -
Arsenic Test
Wilhelm Scheele developed a test for Arsenic poison in dead bodies. -
Forensic Toxicology
Mathieu Orfilla was known as the father of Forensic Toxicology. He published the 1st guide on detecting poison. -
Gun/Bullet Match
Henry Goddard developed a technique for matching a bullet to the firearm. -
Fingerprint Matching
Sir Francis Colton developed the first technique for matching finger prints. -
The Henry Classification System
Sir Edward Henry developed the standard for criminal fingerprinting techniques used worldwide. -
Blood Typing
1901 to 1907 blood typing was developed and rolled out for use in blood transfusions and eliminating people from crimes. -
The Basic Principles of Forensic Science
Edmond Locard formulated the basic principles of forensic science. He stated every person leaves a trace. He was also known as the Sherlock Holmes of France. -
Gas chromatograph and the mass spectrometer
Gas chromatograph and the mass spectrometer are a large part of Forensic Science. Science started creating them in early 1900s but they didn't' come together until mid 50's. They break down particles at a crime scene to identify and match them. Carpet fibers to carpet, etc. -
Federal Rules of Evidence
The US Supreme Court mandated a standard of Federal Rules of Evidence. -
DNA
In 1953 DNA was discovered genetically but not until the 1994 was the DNA Databank Legislation created for identifying people.