So this is where my life is going

Important Forensics History

  • China
    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

    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

    William Herschel

    Used thumbprints to identify workers he'd employed in India. This was useful for forensic identification of criminals.
  • Alphonse Bertillon

    Alphonse Bertillon

    Began using precise body measurements to identify people and looked into difference between male and female skeletons.
  • Henry Faulds

    Henry Faulds

    Used fingerprints to eliminate an innocent suspect in a burglary case.
  • Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    The author of the Sherlock Holmes story and is considered the first CSI writer.
  • Francis Galton

    Francis Galton

    Published the first definitive study of fingerprints, basically wrote the guide for forensic fingerprinting
  • Hans Gross

    Hans Gross

    Wrote the first paper describing the applications of scientific processes and principles to criminal investigation. He published "Criminal Investigation"
  • Kari Landsteiner

    Kari Landsteiner

    Discovered the ABO blood groups test and received the Nobel Prize to it.
  • Edmond Locard

    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

    Albert S. Osborn

    Published "Questioned Documents," developed fundamental principles of document examination.
  • Leone Lattes

    Leone Lattes

    Developed method for determining blood type from dried blood samples.
  • August Vollmer

    August Vollmer

    Established a crime lab in Los Angeles, the first one in the United States.
  • Calvin Goddard

    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.