#punchcards

These “punched photographs” led to the development of the Hollerith punchcard reader, which led to the modern computer.

From an 1887 description:

“Along the margin of the ticket is printed, in a straight column, the following words in small black type: Male – Female; Slim – Medium – Stout; Young– Middle-aged – Elderly; Eye: Light – Dark; Hair. Light – Dark; Beard – Moustache – Chin – Side – None.

“The passenger is photographed on the ticket bearing his signature by punching out all the words that are not descriptive of him. If for a male, the word "female" is cut out by the punch; if he is slim, the words "medium" and "stout" are punched; if his eyes are light, the word "dark: is stricken out; and if he wears no beard, the word "none" is left standing, while "moustache, "chin" and "side" are punched.

“Now, it is readily seen how a train agent passing hurriedly through a crowded car is likely to make errors in describing his passengers on their tickets, and so far being a ‘photograph’ of the holder, the marginal sketch often becomes a rank caricature. Even where the punch-marks faithfully portray the features and figure, the female passenger cannot always preserve her good temper on looking at the picture drawn for her. A well developed lady of an uncertain age is not likely to consider it a compliment to be labeled in cold type as ‘stout’ and ‘elderly.’”

Mark Twain wrote a humorous essay on the subject of 19th Century railroad ticket-punching: “Punch, Brothers, Punch”

If you know, you know there is a potential disaster in the making