Summary
Highlights
Early Uses of Fingerprints00:00:50
Fingerprints were used in ancient China as early as 200 BC as seals for legal documents and trading agreements, showing an early connection between fingerprints and identity, even without a full understanding of their uniqueness.
Early Scientific Observations00:01:17
In 1686, Dutch anatomist G. Bidloo observed finger ridges, and in 1823, Czech anatomist J. Purkinje identified nine distinct fingerprint patterns, though neither connected them to individual identification.
Sir William James Herschel's Innovation00:02:09
In 1856, British magistrate Sir William James Herschel used full handprints as signatures for laborers in India who couldn't write, finding it an effective way to track workers.
Henry Faulds' Breakthrough00:02:47
In the late 1870s, Scottish doctor Henry Faulds theorized the uniqueness of fingerprints after observing impressions on an archaeological dig. He successfully used fingerprints to exonerate a suspect in a hospital break-in and published his findings in 'Nature' in 1880.
Scotland Yard's Initial Rejection00:03:42
Faulds offered to establish a fingerprint archive for Scotland Yard, even offering to fund it, but they rejected the idea, preferring the existing Bertillon system.
The Bertillon System00:04:48
Developed by Alphonse Bertillon, this system used various body measurements and photographic profiles for identification, based on the belief that skeletal dimensions remained constant after age 20. While somewhat similar procedures are still used, the system had significant flaws.
Francis Galton's Contributions (and Oversight)00:06:14
In 1892, Francis Galton, Charles Darwin's cousin, published 'Fingerprints,' establishing the foundation of modern fingerprinting by outlining collection and analysis methods, classifying three pattern types, and asserting their permanence and uniqueness. He notably omitted Faulds' prior work.
Fingerprints Gain Acceptance00:07:11
In 1897, Sir Edward Henry created a fingerprint classification system still in use today. By 1899, Scotland Yard adopted fingerprint identification, followed by the New York Police Department in 1901.
The Downfall of the Bertillon System: The Will West Case00:07:31
The Bertillon system's credibility collapsed in 1903 when two inmates, Will West and William West, were found to have identical measurements under the system, proving its inaccuracy. Fingerprint analysis, however, correctly identified them as distinct individuals, solidifying the superiority of fingerprints.
First U.S. Criminal Trial Using Fingerprints00:08:44
In 1910, fingerprints were first used in a U.S. criminal trial to convict Thomas Jennings of murder. The defense's challenge to the new science backfired, as police easily lifted and matched the lawyer's fingerprints, swaying the jury and establishing fingerprint analysis as a standard law enforcement practice.