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44 BCE
Autopsy
In 44 B.C. a Roman doctor examined Julius Caesar's body and discovered that of his 23 stab wounds, only one was fatal. -
Period: 44 BCE to
CSI Techniques and Methods
The history of major game changing methods that helped in CSI. -
1248
Hsi Duan Yu
The first documentation of medical knowledge aimed at solving crimes was recorded in the book "Hsi Duan Yu" It detailed the process of distinguishing drowning from strangulation. -
Traite des Poisons
Mathieu Bonaventure Orfila who is considered the father of modern toxicology published this book on the many aspects of fingerprint detail and chemical elements like poisons. -
Period: to
The Temperature of Death
Alexandre Lacassagne wrote extensively on algor mortis "the temperature of death" rigor mortis "the stiffness of death" and livor mortis "the color of death." -
Bullet Comparisons
In the mid-1800s, investigators at Scotland Yard began to conduct bullet comparisons. -
Tissue Testing
In the mid 1800's, advancements where made through investigators that developed successful tissue tests that identified arsenic as a means of murder. -
Finger Printing
Eduardo Alvarez made the first criminal fingerprint identification. -
Portable Polygraph Machine
A portable lie detector test. -
Gunshot Residue Tests
Test used to detect gunshot residue at the scene of a crime. -
Immunoassay Tests
Immunoassays are based on the principles that specific antigens will stimulate very specific (unique) immune responses and that the proteins produced by the immune response, called antibodies, can be used to signal the presence of a target compound in a sample. -
Computer Forensics
Computer forensics has been used as evidence in criminal law since the mid-1980's. -
DNA Forensics
DNA testing allowed for evidence that couldn't be obtained prior to this advancement, now come to light and reveal more about what really happened at the scene of a crime. -
Entomological Forensics
The concept of forensic entomology dates back to at least the 13th century, but only in the last 30 years has it been used as a feasible source for criminal investigation.