Dermatoglyphics in Medicine

The first known observations of dermal ridges were made by Nehemiah Grew (1641-1712) who wrote in the Philosophical Transactions of 1684 "For if any one will but take the pains, with an indifferent Glass, to survey the Palm ot his Hand very well washed with a Ball; he may perceive innumerable little Ridges, of equal bigness and distance, and everywhere running parallel one with another. And especially upon the ends and first Joynts of the Fingers and Thumb, upon the top of the Ball, and near the root of the Thumb a little above the Wrist. In all which places, they are very regularly disposed into spherical Triangles and Elliptics. Upon these Ridges stand the Pores, all in even Rows, and of that magnitude, as to be visible to a very good Eye without a Glass." Marcello Malpighi (1628-94). a contemporary of Grew, made some passing references to the papillary ridges arranging themselves as patterns. In 1823 John Purkinje (1787-1869)