First Modern Use of Fingerprint Identification
Fingerprint identification, a method that captures the unique ridge patterns on an individual's fingers, has evolved into a widely accepted form of personal identification. While rudimentary forms of fingerprinting can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as China and Mesopotamia, the first modern application occurred on July 28, 1858, in India. This innovative practice was initiated by William Herschel, a British public servant, who sought to address fraudulent claims among pensioners by requiring them to ink their palms and imprint them on official documents. This method resonated with the predominantly illiterate local population, who valued the personal touch over a mere signature. Although Herschel's idea for a broader fingerprint identification system faced initial resistance, it laid the groundwork for future developments. By the early 20th century, the adoption of fingerprinting became commonplace in law enforcement across Great Britain and beyond, marking a significant advancement in identification practices. The transition from Herschel's innovative approach to widespread acceptance underscores the importance of fingerprints as a reliable means of verifying identity.
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First Modern Use of Fingerprint Identification
First Modern Use of Fingerprint Identification
Fingerprint identification, involving ink or other reproductions of the skin ridge patterns on a person's fingers, has become a very common means of identification. The process gained in popularity because those patterns are unique to each individual, and no two people have the same fingerprints. Primitive forms of fingerprinting for legal matters and other records were used as far back as ancient China and Mesopotamia, but the first modern usage did not take place until July 28, 1858. Ironically, this pioneering event occurred because a British public servant named William Herschel of the Indian civil service in Jungipur, India, took advantage of native superstitions.
At the time, the British ruled India but also used large numbers of Indian soldiers for their armies, who were entitled to a pension when their military service was over. Many such retirees tried to take advantage of the system by lining up repeatedly when the time came to receive their pay from British officials such as Herschel. Frustrated by this practice, Herschel began to make these pensioners put ink on their palms and press them to their official documents when they collected their money. Herschel did this for the first time on July 28, 1858, with a man named Rajyadhar Konai. Like most of the locals, the majority of whom were uneducated or illiterate, Konai believed that personal contact with a document had more meaning than a signature. Herschel's new procedure helped to cut down on fraud and stimulated his interest in the nature of fingerprints (which gradually became the norm over total palm prints). Although his suggestion for a widespread fingerprint identification system was at first rejected, in later decades it gained acceptance, and by the early 20th century the law enforcement authorities in Great Britain and elsewhere were beginning to take fingerprints on a regular basis and establishing public record-keeping systems.