Sherlock Holmes and Modern Forensics

My recent criminal justice class involved forensics so, being in London, it seemed only fitting to take a look at Sherlock Holmes and his methods. What was the impact of Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional character on the development of forensics? What can we learn from Holmes more than 130 years after his first appearance in the classic A Study in Scarlet? Let me get a couple of things out of the way. First, A Study in Scarlet, published in 1887, remains a splendid read (despite some objectionable characterizations of people from other lands). I recommend tucking into the book for a couple of hours on a rainy day. Given my current surroundings, I was particularly taken by Dr. Watson’s observation about his decision to head to London after his military service in Afghanistan: “I naturally gravitated to London, that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained.” Id. at 13. I agree that London is irresistible. I disagree that it’s a cesspool. I have no comment about loungers and idlers. Second, I’m skeptical of claims that Holmes, and thus Conan Doyle, invented modern forensics. The 19th century was an era of significant advances in science and medicine. Originally a physician, Conan Doyle built on his medical knowledge and experience and applied “theories and concepts of the time into the use of forensics by his character.” Eric Andrews, How Sherlock Holmes Invented Modern Forensics (May 2015). That’s not to say Holmes didn’t have an impact [...]