The Incredible Crime-Solving Techniques of the Victorian Era

The Victorian era, which lasted from 1837 to 1901, was a great period for scientific advancement, industrialization, and economic success as well as for the advancement of crime-solving methods.  At that time, significant developments in the field of criminal forensics were made, laying the groundwork for investigations in the present day. Some of the techniques used involved cutting-edge technology and psychological mastery, while others were quite simple and ordinary. Here are five of the crime-solving techniques of the Victorian era.  \r \r 1. Eyewitnesses\r \r One of the oldest and most universal types of evidence is the eyewitness account. It was widely used during the Victorian Era. Before DNA and video evidence, authorities depended heavily on eyewitnesses to convict criminals. It's been reported that rumors abounded more than usual throughout the Victorian era. Many individuals in the past turned to gossip as a form of enjoyment before there was regular mainstream entertainment.  This meant that people were very nosy in an effort to learn juicy information. As such, police information searches conducted door to door would not be in vain.\r \r 2. Matching Hairs and Fibers\r \r In 1861, Rudolf Virchow performed the first forensic human hair comparison and discovered that the defendant in the case had hairs that, upon close inspection, matched those of the victim. However, in the Victorian era, forensic hair analysis was followed with the understanding that the hairs couldn’t be regarded as being unique to the victim. Hairs and threads were frequently examined under a microscope during legal processes. Hair may be used as circumstantial evidence or to provide further details about the offender's age or sex, but it was never to be taken as an absolute, conclusive match.\r \r 3. Rudimentary Ballistic Analysis\r \r Based on a tiny flaw in the fired bullet, Henry Goddard, a member of the London Bow Street Runners, was able to identify a firearm used in a crime in 1835. This was a time when firearms were not mass-produced. The ability to recognize bullets with the naked eye was no longer practical once the mass manufacture of these weapons took off. Microscopes were used to see the bullets clearly. In order to look for any distinguishing markings on the bullets, they were also rolled onto inked paper.  \r \r 4. Toxicology\r \r During the Victorian Era, there were many cases where people were executed through poisoning. Substances such as arsenic, chloroform, cyanide and strychnine were used because they were cheap and readily available. To respond to this trend, chemists began to develop the discipline of toxicology. John Marsh, a British chemist, developed "The Marsh Test" in 1836, allowing physicians to check for the presence of arsenic in human tissue. During the Victorian era, this advancement resulted in the conviction of several criminals. The development and use of this test resulted in a reduction in this kind of crime in the second half of the 1800s.\r \r 5. Fingerprint Analysis\r \r Although it was known that each person has a distinct fingerprint before the Victorian era, fingerprint analysis wasn't used in criminal investigations until the late nineteenth century. Doctor Henry Faulds wrote in the scientific journal “Nature” in 1880 that it was possible to scientifically identify offenders using fingerprints found at crime scenes. Police didn't take this seriously, not until Sir Francis Galton created a taxonomy of fingerprint patterns for police investigation in the 1890s.  Thereafter, fingerprints were adopted as a means to identify criminals. Francisca Rojas, of Argentina was the first criminal in the world to be convicted on fingerprint evidence.\r \r