Welcome To History

[Charles Parker]

This group is dedicated to exploring the history of the science of fingerprints and those events that led up to acceptance of fingerprints and the science of fingerprints in to what it is today.

Be aware that factual history can sometimes be elusive. If an incorrect statement is made a long time ago and is published and the next person comes along and quotes it, then the next, then the next, then pretty soon it becomes taken as gospel.

Perhaps this group can investigate and debate some of the legends that have been woven into history of fingerprints over the years.

However when quoting or making a statement about history it is good to quote or reference the source.

I will be posting some historical names and events and if you have a little information or a lot of information to share, then this group is where to do it at.

Let us have fun with this group, explore some of history and perhaps learn something along the way.

[antonroland]

Wonderful idea and thank you for the efforts of all involved.

Now I do not have access to the libraries you folks have and so I will be watching this section with great interest

[amydorsey]

Hello, new to this website but wanted to give it a try! has anyone looked at any literature on Ninhydrin where it gives the history of who came up with leaving Ninhydrin overnight to develop? Someone at work is asking me to find that answer and I havent googled anything on where it says historically who came up with that theory. I know some labs do not leave it overnight and some do. I just know of any historical literature to that effect.

[josher89]

You may want to start here: http://www.jbc.org/content/161/1/99.full.pdf or here http://library-resources.cqu.edu.au/JFS/PDF/vol_35/iss_1/JFS351900025.pdf or do a search on ninhydrin and titration and fingerprints. I've heard of the historic 'ah ha' moment but have never read about it anywhere. If you find something, please share it with the rest of the group! Good luck.

[josher89]

In looking at the second article, I found this:

In 1954, two Swedish biochemists, Oden and von Hofsten, reported another use of ninhydrin, namely its ability to develop latent fingerprints via reaction with amino acids of the palmar sweat residue which comprises latent prints

. That information came from Oden, S. and von Hofsten, B., " Detection of Fingerprints by the Ninhydrin Reaction," Nature (London), Vol. 173, 1954, pp. 449-450. Try there as well; I'm guessing you'll find what you're looking for.

[amydorsey]

Thank you so much for your input. It helped alot!!