author
C. Ainsworth (Charles Ainsworth) Mitchell
b. 1867
A pioneering forensic scientist and chemist, he brought laboratory methods to the study of handwriting, inks, documents, and criminal evidence. His books made complex scientific investigations accessible to readers interested in crime, forgery, and identification.
1 Audiobook
Science and the Criminal
by C. Ainsworth (Charles Ainsworth) Mitchell
About the author
Born in Thetford, England, on November 20, 1867, Charles Ainsworth Mitchell was educated at King William’s College and Exeter College, Oxford, graduating in 1889. He became a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry and the Chemical Society, and developed a particular expertise in the microscopic and chemical examination of handwriting and documents.
Mitchell served as editor of The Analyst for 25 years and was active in professional organizations, including the Medico-Legal Society, which he led as president from 1935 to 1937. He also worked as an expert witness in criminal and civil cases, including investigations involving invisible ink, disputed documents, fingerprints, and historical manuscripts.
His books include Inks: Their Composition and Manufacture, Science and the Criminal, Documents and Their Scientific Examination, The Expert Witness, Oil, Edible Oils & Fats, and Flesh Foods. He died on January 5, 1948.