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Forensic Medicine and Pathology Time Line

100

Quintillian, Roman lawyer, demonstrated that bloody palm prints on the wall of a murder crime scene were from his stepmother [Ref. 20, p. 84].
2980 B.C.

Imhotep: Egyptian Forensic Medicine [Ref. 24, p. 37].

535 B.C.

Greek physician, Alcmaeon of Croton, dissects human cadavers for scientific purposes [Ref. 3, p. 29].

300 B.C.

Post-mortem by Alexandrian physicians, Erasistratus and Herophilus, dissected corpses to understand disease [Ref. 1, p. 325].

44 B.C.

Corpse of Julius Caeser examined by a physician who stated that of the 23 stab wounds only one had been fatal [Ref. 24, p. 38].
100 A.D.

Graeco-Roman physician Galen introduced earliest records on anatomy through dissection [Ref. 1, p. 325].
541

Bubonic plague travels through Europe [Ref. 3, p. 62].

1149

Idea of coroner started by King Richard of England. The Justices were required to provide that three knights and one clerk were elected in every county as keepers of the pleas of the crown. The appointment then included the coroner's duties. The term is derived from crowner applied to individuals charged under the law.
1248

Hsi Yuan Lu (China) discussed the examination drownings, strangulations and instruments, guide to prosecuting killers [Ref. 1, p. 325].
1452

Hieronymus Brunschwygk publishes book on treatment of gunshot wounds [Ref. 3, p. 100].
1533

Caroline Code written by German emperor Charles V first to request expert medical testimony for cases of suspected murder [Ref. 30, p. 6].
1545

Flemish anatomist Andreas Vesalius published book on dissection, De Humani Corporis Fabrica [Ref. 1, p. 325].
1590

Ambrose Paré, led the way in describing injuries inflicted by firearms [Ref. 24, p. 39].

1642

University of Leipzig, taught core courses in forensic medicine [Ref. 1, p. 326].
1647

Earliest record of autopsy examination recorded in Massachusetts [Ref. 28, p. 17].

1654

On Sudden Death, by Giovanni Maria Lancisi, discusses cardiac pathology [Ref. 3, p. 175].

1761

Giovanni Morgagni's, On the Causes of Disease [Ref. 3, p. 215].

1823

Elements of Medical Jurisprudence by Theodore Beck [Ref. 18, p. 4].
1835

Marie Guillaume Alphonse Devergie, microscope in forensic pathology, in Médecine Légale, théorique et pratique [Ref. 18, p. 75].
1849

Dr. George Parkman murdered Dr. John Webster, burned the body but bones and teeth were identified [Ref. 18, p. 4].
1850

The Northern Lancet and Gazette of Legal Medicine, the journal on forensic medicine, published by Nelson, New York [Ref. 18, p. 4].

Book on forensic medicine compiled by Johan Ludwig Casper of Berling [Ref. 1, p. 326].
1857

Noilles thesis, 'Les Plaies ParArmes a Feu Courtes', dealt with wounds from small firearms [Ref. 17, p. 2].
1860

Earliest autopsy system using American doctors, Maryland, where Code of Public General Laws required a physician in all cases involving violent death [Ref. 28, p. 17].

1877

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts abolished the coroner and established the medical examiner system [Ref. 1, p. 94].
1896

X-ray pictures admitted as evidence in Wichita, Kansas and Denver, Colorado [Ref. 18, p. 5].
1901

Paul Uhlenhuth, Hygienic Institute, University of Greifswald, developed the precipitin test for the origin of blood stains [Ref. 29, p. 25].
1910

Bernard Henry Spilsbury, leading medical detective in the 20th century, brought medico-legal evidence to forefront in Crippen case. Identification based identifying fold in skin as a scar. He purportedly completed 25,000 post-mortems [Ref. 1, p. 377].
1914

New York City adopts Massachusetts position, creating a medical examiner system, who was both a physician and pathologist capable of conducting post-mortems [Ref. 1, p. 94].

England - The 'Brides in the Bath House'. Dr. Bernard Spilsbury and Dr. William Wilcox, worked out the method used by George Joseph Smith to drown his 'wives' - putting his left arm under their knees and pushing the head downwards and under the water with the right hand. While attempting to demonstrate his technique in court, Spilsbury nearly drowned the nurse on loan from St. Mary's for the occasion [Ref. 23, p. 187-200].
1924

'Murder Bag' associated with doctors, adopted by Spilsbury for crime scene investigation, included rubber gloves, a compass, ruler, etc. [Ref. 1, p. 96].

1929

Rehfeldt reports defense wounds on hands and under sides of arms as evidence of homicide [Ref. 12, p. 269].
1966

Dr. Keith Simpson recognizes Battered Baby Syndrome [Ref. 1, p. 371].

References

[1]. Lane, Brian, The Encyclopedia of Forensic Science, Headline Book Publishing PLC, 1992.
[3]. Hellemans, A. and Bunch, B., The Timetables of Science, Simon & Schuster Inc., 1988.
[12]. Söderman, H. and O'Connell, J. J., Modern Criminal Investigation, Funk & Wagnalls Co., 1935.
[17]. Hamby, J. E. and Thorpe, J. W., "The Story of Firearm and Toolmark Identification, Association of Firearms and Toolmarks Examiners, Vol. 31, No. 3, 1999.
[18]. Eckert, W.G., The Forensic Sciences - An Introduction, An INFORM Publication, Wichita, Kansas, 1976.
[23]. Thorwald, J., The Century of the Detective, Harcourt, Brace & World, 1965.
[24]. Paul, P., Murder Under The Microscope, Macdonald Book, England, 1990.
[28]. Waters, J.F., Crime Labs: The Science of Forensic Medicine, Franklin Watts, 1979.
[29]. Thorwald, J., Crime and Science, Harcourt, Brace & World, 1966.
[30]. Innes, B., Bodies of Evidence, Reader's Digest, 2000 (ISBN 0-7621-0295-0)