Harold Cummins M.D. (May 28, 1893 – May 12, 1976) was an anatomist and dermatoglyphics specialist. He is considered to be the founder of dermatoglyphics.

Early life and education

A native of Markleville, Indiana, Cummins attended the University of Michigan, receiving his BA in 1916. While attending the University of Michigan, he was inducted into two academic honor societies: Sigma Xi and Phi Beta Kappa. Cummins completed his PhD in anatomy at Tulane University in 1925.

Career

In his multiple positions as an educator, Cummins taught over 5000 students. Cummins worked at Vanderbilt University as a Histology instructor (1916-1917) and as an assistant professor of Microscopic Anatomy from 1917 through 1919. In 1919, Cummins joined the faculty at Tulane University where he remained for the rest of his educational career, nearly five decades, serving in a variety of positions. His positions at Tulane University included: Cummins also held positions at a number of journals and associated organizations including: In 1926, Cummins coined the term dermatoglyphics.

Professional affiliations

Selected publications