The Origin of Finger-Printing by William James Herschel
QR code
"The Origin of Finger-Printing" by Sir William J. Herschel is a scientific publication written in the early 20th century. The book presents an in-depth examination of the development of the finger-print method of personal identification, which originated in India in the late 19th century. It chronicles the journey of this innovative technique from its early use for administrative and legal purposes to its eventual establishment as a critical tool for identification in
law enforcement. In the narrative, Herschel recounts his experiences as an official in British India, where he first experimented with finger-printing while dealing with issues of forgery and fraud. His experimentation began in 1858 when he invited a local contractor to use his finger prints in place of a written signature, leading to revelations about the uniqueness and permanence of fingerprint patterns. The book is enriched with anecdotes and historical context, featuring the author's interactions with various individuals who contributed to the recognition and formalization of the finger-printing system. Overall, Herschel advocates for the adoption of fingerprinting as a reliable method for verifying identity, highlighting its transformative impact on legal practices. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
- Download the EPUB3 file above
- Upload it on the Amazon site your Kindle is registered with: amazon.com/sendtokindle for the US, amazon.co.uk/sendtokindle for the UK etc.
- It appears on your Kindle and in the Kindle app
Kobo, Nook etc. → Transfer via USB
- Download the EPUB3 file on your computer
- Connect your e-reader by USB and tap "Connect" on its screen
- Drag the file onto the e-reader drive
Phone, Tablet or Computer → Online or Reading App
Easiest: read online in your browser. Nothing to install.
Or use a reading app:
- Find and install one you like, for example Apple Books, ReadEra or Thorium Reader
- Download the EPUB3 file above
- Open it in the app
More help: iPhone / iPad · Android · Computer
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Herschel, William James, 1833-1917 |
|---|---|
| LoC No. | 17021614 |
| Title | The Origin of Finger-Printing |
| Credits |
Produced by Eric Hutton and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 68.5 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | HV: Social sciences: Social pathology, Social and Public Welfare |
| Subject | Fingerprints |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 34859 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-34859-9 |
| Release Date | Jan 5, 2011 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 740 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!