The Washington times., 1924-09-17
FINGER PRINTS
NOW STUDIED
IN DC.
J. A. Shaw, Dean Of School Of
Identification, Tells of
Systems Growth
BY j. A. SHAW. B. G. s.,
Dean Of the Washington school Of
Identification.

i 10enbA1lcAtlOMs *
There is considerabl diversity of
opinion as to the origin of finger
print Identification. The first defi-
mite discussion of this science was
contained in Latin thesis read be-
fore the University of Breslau in
1923, by Purkenje, professor of
psychology and pathology. In this
thesis Purkenje suggested a system
Of classification containing nine
standard types.
In the report of the Smithsonian
Institution for 1912 Doctor Berthold
Laufer attempts to prove that this
system of Identification was orig
mated by the Chinese. Doctor Lall-
L fer cites among other facts the
early Chinese art Of finger painting,
but it seems that this argument is
rather far-fetched.
The only documentary proof Of
s fered by Doctor Laufer is a bill Of
sale signed by a thumb-print dated
1899, which is, however, sixteen
years after the reading of the
z Purkenje thesis.
There is no doubt in the mind
Of the writer that the Chinese and
other early people did actually take
finger Impressions, as this would
he almost impossible to avoid in
as much as one cannot touch a
smooth surface with the finger with
out leaving an impression thereon
However, there is nothing to in.
Gicate that anyone previous to Pur.
ken1e made a definite study of the
possibilities of the use of finger i'm.
pressions for the purpose of identi-
fication.
So, to Purkerje should be given
fuE credit for the conception Of the
science.
Herschel Used 1t First.
To Sir William Herschel should
! be given the credit for the first
serious use Of this system Of identi-
fication. In 1853 Herschel saw two
contracts with signatures and finger.
prints as confederation, and having
that genius of seeing a disable idea,
which is ranked with originating it,
he determined to make use Of this
idea.
III In 1877 Herschel, whose official
life in India had been beset with
reputation of signatures as well as
the assumption of signatures for
the purpose of false personation, in
Produced the use of finger !mpres-
stons in the district of Hooghly, in
Bengal, of which he was then in
4 executive charge.
He recommended the adoption of
this systm throughout the province,
but fingerprint Identification was
SO little known that his suggestion
was not carried out, and after he
left the province the system fell into
disuse.
In 1884, Sir Francis Cation.
while engaged in the collection of
material for a book on personal
Identification commenced the study
Of the prints collected by Sir SVil.
ham Herschel, intending TO include
q chapter on fingerprint Identified
ton in his book.
He found the subject so exhaust
\ ing and interesting that instead OF
writing merely one chapter on the
subject, he wrote several books.
His study Of the subject con.
WINGED him that: ~ There were no
two fingerprints alike; ~ there
was practically no change in the
1ingerprint Of person from birth
until decomposition after death; g
BY a system Of classification devised
by him the fingerprint Of any ind1
vidual could be filed with my mum
Der OF others according to its classi
1icat1on number, and, if another
print OF the same person should be
received, could be found and identi
lied by the use Of this classification
number, without the use Of name
scars, or other characteristics, and
with a comparatively small effort.
Convinced BY Study.
His investigation also convinced
him that this system of identifi.
3 cation was superior to the Der.
tillion system because ~ The &C
cessories needed and inexpensive; e.
any person can learn to take legi
bic fingerprints in half an hour; (3
fingerprints are absolute impress
9ions taken from the body itself
under conditions which eliminate
error as regards TRANSCRIPTION or
recording; (4 the time necessary
20 take finger impressions is much
less than the time needed for meas.
uring; (5) no allowance for error
on the part Of the operator is need.
ed: (6) no key is required; (O al
skilled work is transferred to q
central office, and (0 the results
are certain.
The British government was slow
IN adopting the suggestion of Sir
Francis Cation, but in 1884 adopted
q dual system under which pri
mary classification was according t.
the Bertillion measurements, finger
impressions being utilized for the
secondary or sub-classification,
This dual system remained in
force until 1901, when fingerprint
Identification alone was used.
Early in the Twentieth century
s Mrs. Holland, an American,
studied the system in London and
later introduced 1t in this country
where 1t has been adopted for iden
tificatton purposes by the United
: States Navy, United States Army
United States Marine Corps, United
States Coast Guard, postal service
Department of Justice and most Of
the States and municipalities.
The system has also been adopted
throughout the United States bS
banks, insurance companies anf
others for the PURPOSE az idantifxyire