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1200
13th Century China
The first case ever recorded using forensic science. When someone was stabbed, all of the knives in the village werecollected. Flies were attracted to the traces of blood and landed on only one of the knives, causing the suspect to confess. -
Mathieu Orfila
Considered the "Father of Forensic Toxicology"; chemist who published first scientific paper on the detection of poisons and their effects on animals. -
William Herschel
Used thumbprints on documents to identify workers in India. -
Alphonse Bertillon
"Father of Crime Identification." Developed Antrhopometry which uses body measurements to distinguish individuals. -
Henry Fauld
Uses fingerprints to eliminate an innocent burglary individuals. -
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Published his first Sherlock Holmes story; Considered the first "CSI," featured in four novels and 56 short stories. Popularized scientific crime-detection methods. -
Francis Galton
Published Finger Prints. Conducted the first definitive study of fingerprints and their classification. Gave proof of their uniquenes. -
Hans Gross
Published Criminal Investigation. Wrote the first paper describing the application of scientific principles to the field of criminal investigation. -
Karl Landsteiner
Discovered the ABO blood types, later received Nobel Prize. -
Albert S. Osborn
Published Questioned Documents. Developed the fundamental principles of document examination. -
Edmond Locard
Incorporated Gross' principles within a workable crime lab; became the founder and director of the Institute of Criminalitics at the University of Lyons, France. -
Leone Lattes
Developed a mehtod for determining blood type from dried blood -
August Vollmer
Estblished the first crime lab in United States, located in Los Angeles. -
Calvin Goddard
Developed a comparison microscope, first used to compare bullets to see if fired from the same weapon.
