Writing Worth Reading
Writing Worth Reading
Let’s start with The Complete Sherlock Holmes.
Sherlock Holmes is the prototype for the master criminologist – the methodical detective who uses science to solve crime. I’m struck by the similarity between the powers attributed to Sherlock Holmes in that era and those attributed to the CSI television shows in our own. It might seem an odd comparison, but think about it: Sherlock Holmes used the latest methods in scientific analysis, solved crimes with blinding speed and was dead certain of himself at all times. Which is exactly what characterises today’s CSI shows.
Interestingly, Dr Lacassagne, the French criminologist who is the hero of my book, was a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories, which were published in the course of his career. In fact, he was such a fan that he had one of his graduate students prepare a thesis on the science of Sherlock Holmes. I was lucky enough to find it, and found Dr Lacassagne’s handwritten remarks scribbled all over it. You can imagine my excitement at finding the real-life hero of my book commenting on one of the great fictional detectives of all time. Conversely, Conan Doyle knew about the real scientists and their work, and mentions them in his stories. So there was an amazing interplay between fiction and nonfiction.
What was Dr Lacassagne’s conclusion?
Although he enjoyed Sherlock Holmes, Lacassagne thought the science was a bit weak. Holmes worked alone, while real-life forensic scientists worked in teams, even then. Most notably, Holmes never conducted an autopsy – which even then was the staple of the criminal investigation.
Of course, none of that detracted from Holmes’s popularity. In a world beset by uncertainty and chaos and fear, it’s comforting to imagine there is someone out there who, with keen intelligence and a scientific method, can put things back in order, and make the world safe again. I think that’s part of Holmes’s enduring appeal.
Was France the leader in forensic science at this time?
Yes. The British were maybe ten to 15 years behind. The Americans were decades behind. The real leaders comprised a coterie of scientists in France, Austria, Italy and Germany.
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Douglas Starr is co-director of the Graduate Program in Science and Medical Journalism at Boston University. His first book, Blood: An Epic History of Medicine and Commerce, received wide critical acclaim and was turned into a series by PBS. His writings on science, medicine and public health have appeared in, among others, The New Republic and The LA Times, and on NPR. His second and most recent book is The Killer of Little Shepherds, about the French serial killer Vacher and the birth of modern forensic science.
