"The hand has long intrigued physicians, embryologists, endocrinologists, psychiatrists and physical anthropologists, notes historian Alison Bashford. This fascinating, well-illustrated history explores the 'mysterious, curious, and often complex codes by which signs of the hand have been interpreted'."
Historian Alison Bashford examines the long-standing medical and scientific interest in hands across multiple disciplines including genetics, embryology, endocrinology, psychiatry, and physical anthropology. Geneticist Lionel Penrose observed correlations between genetic abnormalities and hand creases, publishing his final paper on fingerprints and palmistry in The Lancet in 1973. Bashford's illustrated history explores the complex codes and interpretations of hand signs throughout history, demonstrating how physicians and scientists have used hands as diagnostic and interpretive tools. The work traces how various medical professionals have sought to decode the mysterious and curious meanings embedded in hand characteristics.
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