Pioneer contributions of Harris Hawthorne Wilder, Ph.D., to forensic sciences

In his youth Harris Hawthorne Wilder developed interests in both zoology and human anatomy. Following graduate study in Germany (1886-1891), he was appointed professor of zoology at Smith College but retained his dual interests throughout his career. As a result, he was instrumental in introducing to American audiences two new European developments in human identification; dermatoglyphics and face reconstruction on skulls. The details of his contributions in these two areas, summarized here, establish him as an important pioneer in American forensic sciences.