Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-05-20
Color Blindncss.

0lo&k The long spell VI uuDencl,
And chase the soulconfouuding grief,
Color Blindness.
The North British Review for February has .
curious article on color blindness, defect IN the
vision wei known TO opticians and to painters, but
the knowledge Of which, and the theories by which
men have endeayored to explain it, have not been
poPularized till now. This peculiarly 10 said to
be by no means rare, and II probably exists N
different degrees In different persons, some labor.
Ing under total inability TO distinguish certain
tints from each other, and others discriminating
imperfsctly. A
The following passage from the Review, gives
an Idea of the extent TO which thisdeiect prevails
which will be new to most Of our readers;
Till within these few years this affection Of the
eye was supposed to be confined to small num-
Der of individuals; but it appears from the calcu-
ations Of various authors, that one person out Of
every fifteen is color blind. According to the ex.
periments made by DR.. Wilson upon /, l54 persons
at Edinburgh, in 1923, one person in every
eighteen had this mpeifection.
in IS confound red with green
in so confound 6yoscn with green
In as confound blue with green.
Hence one in every l7-9 persons is color-blind
at Is curious fact, and one now placed be-
yond doubt, that color-blindness is hereditary
and runs in families In some cases fpe and in
others fifteen Individuals Of the family have
been color blind and In go far experiments have
been made the imperfection Is moro common in
males than in females"
Mr.. Frederick Oyster, a person with pair Of
good strong eyes of a light hazel color but some.
what short sighted gives the following amusing &C
count, which is now first published in the North
British Review, of his inability to distinguish col
ors:
My bstes noires, in the way of colors are green
and red They are absolutely indistinguishable.
Red scaling wax and bright spring grass have abb
soutely the same color. The red petals of the
Juchsia exactly match the leaves. Whether all
green are red, or all reds green, know not, but
suspect the latter, as regiment Of soldiers look as
cool and refreshing 70 my eyes an acre of vines.
am at fault also with browns, especially the light
er tints and the darker ones. / think recognise
more by shade than color. Between purple, violet
and blue see no difference, unless in shade. Pink
IL dirty slate-color.
a lady dressed in light, blue appears extremely
gay habited In pink, she might pass a. Qua
keress. am not aware OF any confusion about
yeiloso, but think detect its slighter shades by
artificial light better than normal eyes. ] cannot
trace any Improvement or alteration in my powers
of appreciating color and, from my own observe
ton, should have much more hope Of educating
dull ear to sounds, than Q dull eye to colors /
have at times taken great pains 70 impress color
my optic nerve, Cor the want Of it often sadly
bothers me, in my little natural history pursuits,
but quite in vain. The case which offers most
identity with my own is Lord---'s On compar-
lag notes, think we might have changed eyes
without any damage to either contracting party.
think he told me he had sent report of his case
to DR.. George Wilson.
As sort Of counterbalance to my color-blind-
ness, have very acute perception Of shade; and
my wife tells me that if she wanted 6ro,Sn ribbon
and rcdribbon ofequal shades, Ishoud select them
better than she could, provided was guided as to
color. l enjoy engravings more than colored pic
lures but you must not suppose that in regard to
color am In the same position "a person with
out ear Is IN regard to noise / have the most In
tense pleasure from the colors of nature and from
the gorgeous display and polarization"
Padre Will.
The New Orleans Delta gives q somewhat TO
mantle sketch Of the life and antecedents Of Padre
Viii, the new Minister from Nicaragua. The Pa
DIRE has the character of possessing the energy,
experience and capacity to qualify him for the post
TO which he has been appointed. Indeed, the Del
ia regards him az a remarkable man, who enjoys 4
greater reputation, as thinker and scholar, than
most of bis countrymen. He il now in the matu.
rity Of life, being about fifty years Of age; Of 4
pleasing person, and agreeable manners. He has
travelled extensively, and been keen observer Of
men and things. In many respects his career has
been an adventurous and romantic one.
Ine faure was as AZ one time q lawyer, and en-
joyed high reputation in his profession He be-
cameinyolvedint the political movements which have
periodically agitated Nicaragua and the neighbor-
Ing States, and his zeal carried him into dicultes
the consequence of which was death or exile.
Choosing the latter alternative he left Central Anne
RIGA, and as he was prohibited from returning in
the character of lawyer soldier politician, he re-
solved TO become priest, SO that he might reside
In his native land, under the protection OF the
church.
In bis new capacity the Padre won many friends
and rapidly to distinction 10 the ecciesiastca
world, securing universal respect by bis charity
his talents, and his unquestionable virtues. There
u no eater profession than that Of priest and a.
lar as our experience goes, none 40 profitable 81
the Padre found that he was secure under his sur
pnce, and that one who cannot love his country al
aaWyer with IMMUNITY, can afford TO worship he,
az priest In diplomacy he soon distinguished
himself, as much as in theology, and We see the
pracucal result OF his sagacity and enarOv IN the
recent appointment which he has rece; - n,,o tbs
Revolutionary government of Nicaracua n - Z
personally, the Padre is a very Accommodated n.
dividusl, with splendid physical as well as 1900
organization. He ia said to- be one of the Nd
soonest men in Nicaragua With his fne VEN
balanced head, his stately bearing, his polished
manners, his insinuating eioquence he l. Iikey -
overtop by head or We may use the significant
phrase OF old Homer) all the dplomatists. forejy,
ana domestic, assembled at Washington.
L1MEi LIMEfi LIMEifi -
WILL BE opened to-morrow. NJ sAs
49,. Lime hiins Of w. II. GODEY &yCJ. attn.
br;daa ~ n1cn crsek between the upper and lower
The subscrihers haze alao o., La..a = s --''o.