Wm. G. Benham had made a lifelong study of hand analysis and this famous book became the standard in its field. In 1900 Mr. Benham wrote 'No help was found from professionals for nearly all proved to be ignorant unlettered and trying solely to gain money without any effort in the direction of sci-. entific investigation. During this time the word Palmistry was so buried under a mass of public disapproval that a self-respecting person dared not say that he was even interested in it. Fully persuaded that it had a scientific foundation I set about to discover it.'