Fingerprints history - Coursework Example

The Three Representative-Contributors of Fingerprint Science with its Milestones One of the unique identifier to human is his fingerprints. Experts are claiming that no fingerprints are alike that makes it unique to person. Dactyloscopy is the science of fingerprints, also of handprints. Francis Galton stated that the possibility of similar fingerprints between two people is 1 in every 64 billion. This is study through comparing two instances of friction or epidermal ridge impressions (Ashbaugh 1991).

Fingerprints occur if surface of the palm or toes were in contact with object, smooth or wet surfaces through perspirations, ink, blood, oil, and other fluids. Factors that are contributing to the fingerprint occurrence are skin pliability, pressure, slippage, texture of the surface of materials, and the likes. Types of fingerprints are exemplar that is use in instances like enrollment, latent that is being used in forensic investigation, patent that is the mark made by flour and the likes, plastic by holding the very material, and electronic recording that is assisted with technology to identify the fingerprints purposely (Manchester Evening News 2010).

Three historical people have contributed to the science of fingerprints. They are Marcello Malpighi (1628 – 1694), Edward Henry (1850 – 1931), and Henry Faulds (1843 – 1930). Although there were also numerous historical people who have contributed to the science of fingerprints, the selection of the three are due to their distinctive contribution to one another as the rest tend to overlap with their works. It is also a selection based on chronological discoveries. Marcello Malpighi. Marcello Malpighi was an Italian physicist whose famous contribution was the “Malpighian Tubule System.

” Marcello had studied anatomical studies and published books on anatomy. In one of his books, he illustrated the detailed ridge structure of the fingers. Although it seems only basic but his work was considered a milestone on Science of Fingerprint during that time as he was one of few the scientists who was able to present the illustrated ridges of fingers. (The History of Fingerprints 2011) Edward Henry. Edward Henry was the head of the Metropolitan Police of London from 1903 to 1918. Edward is known with his method of fingerprinting to identify criminals.

Although the Indian fingerprints experts, Azizul Haque and Hem Chandra Bose, were the ones who further developed the Fingerprint Bureau in Calcutta, India, the concept had originated from Edward. It was called the Henry Classification System – a long method of getting fingerprints and being sorted in physiological characteristics (Fido & Skinner 1999). Henry Faulds. Henry Faulds, a Scottish surgeon in Tokyo Hospital, is prominent in fingerprinting development. In his first published scientific journal, Nature, he had underscored the method of fingerprinting through ink for recording in various purpose of individual’s identity.

This concept was proposed by him to the Metropolitan Police in London upon his return in United Kingdom. With the assistance of Francis Galton, his concept had further developed and proven to be useful. The involvement of Francis Galton was that due to his interest in the subject that he studied fingerprints for ten years, and was only able to apply his studies when Henry proposed to him his own concept. They had published a thorough statistical representation of fingerprint study in Galton’s published book, Finger Prints.

The publication was also encouraging the use of fingerprint analysis in forensic science. (Galton 1892) These three historical personalities served as the representative of the milestones of the fingerprint science. Malpighi represents the early attempt of scientists to analyze the nature of fingerprints, Henry represents the secondary stage of fingerprint science with its application for identifier purpose, and Henry represents the advance phase of the science, application and the identifier purpose by successfully including dactyloscopy in forensic science.

Works Cited “ Fingerprint.”Manchester Evening News, United Kingdom. Thursday 17 June 2010 “The History of Fingerprints.” Fingerprints History. Onin.com. 23 Apr 2011 Ashbaugh, David R."Ridgeology." Journal of Forensic Identification. Modern Evaluative Friction Ridge Identification, Royal Canadian Mounted Police 1991 Fido, Martin & Skinner, Keith. "The Official Encyclopedia of Scotland Yard." Virgin Books. London 1999 Galton, Francis. "Finger Prints." MacMillan and Co. London. 1892