Finger prints

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About this book

Finger prints distinguishes the creases or folds of the skin from the less conspicuous but much more numerous marks called papillary ridges. The introduction identifies papillary ridges as the book's subject and describes their patterns as varied in shape, with boundaries that can be firmly outlined. The contents list previous uses of finger prints and methods of printing, including impressions on polished glass or a razor.

A classification discussion reports that nearly all of a collection could be sorted into groups whose prints had a fairly near resemblance. The calculation is expressly called very rude, and the discussion cautions that on average no great reliance can be placed on general resemblance between prints.

About the author

Francis Galton

Francis Galton (1822-1911) was an English polymath who worked as a statistician, anthropologist, psychologist, meteorologist, explorer and geographer. He originated eugenics and contributed to the foundations of behavioural genetics. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1860 and received the Copley Medal in 1910. His books include "The Art of Travel".