A study of hairs and wools belonging to the mammalian group of animals : including a special study of human hair, considered from the medico-legal aspects / by John Glaister.

  • John Glaister
Date:
1931
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A study of hairs and wools belonging to the mammalian group of animals : including a special study of human hair, considered from the medico-legal aspects / by John Glaister. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    differences of the hair of man and animals.” Among the more recent Scottish criminal cases which may be cited in this regard are:— Rex v. Gibson, High Court Justiciary, Glasgow, December, 1924, Rex v. Thomson, Sheriff Court, Ayr, (Winter 1924), and Rex v. Handley, High Court Justiciary, Glasgow, October 1926. The first, refers to a case in which a man was accused of cutting a boy’s throat. The prisoner was found to be insane and unable to plead. At the enquiry, evidence was ted to show that he was affected with an insane impulse to kill cats. It was stated that he had killed twenty. Hairs of this animal were found upon his clothing. The second, concerns a case of theft in which a superficial examination of the clothing belonging to the accused man revealed the presence of several hairs upon its surface. The microscopic appearances of these hairs were identical to those found compos¬ ing a fur necklet which the accused man was alleged to have stolen. This evidence assumed a very important role in bringing the accused to justice. The third case was one of rape and murder in which a hair found upon the trousers of the accused was very similar in all respects to the pubic hair of the victim. With this case, the writer was associated as one of the medico¬ legal examiners for the Crown. In passing, allusion should be made to the notable English trial of H. H. Crippen, October 1910, in which the question of hair identity arose. The study of hair characteristics is also of very great value when an examiner is called upon to investigate cases of bestiality or cases of cattle and animal maiming. There are in addition many other types of cases in which an intimate knowledge of the appearances of hairs is essential. In a case of animal maim¬ ing which was tried at the Reading iVssizes in the early summer of 1926, the accused, James May, was sentenced to seven years penal servitude by Mr. Justice Avory. Evidence was led to show that the hairs which were found on his coat were those of short¬ horns, similar to the herd some of which had been maimed. . A study of French bibliography reveals the. fact that, the medico-legal experts in France have also . been utilising the examination of hairs as an almost routine procedure when cir¬ cumstance permitted. Olivier,. in. an article describes the
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