Morning journal and courier., 1880-07-30
coLoR-RLINDNEss AGAIN.

The more we see of the workings of the act of the Legislature which commands the examination of railroad men for color-blind- ness and other defects of vision, the more we are inclined to think that the Legislature it. self, if not color-blind did not have it's eyes wide open when it passed the law.
 In the first place there does not seem to be ground for such law in the causes of railroad accidents, so far as they are known. Last year Dr. B. Joy Jeffries succeeded in impress ing with his theories a sufficient number of the members of the Massachusetts Legisla- ture, and the Railroad Commissioners of that State were ordered to inquire into the matter. They did so very thoroughly and reported that they were not able to find that any rail road accident had ever been clearly traced to color-blindness The director of the Swedish State railroads, c. O. Troilius, who has given especial attention to the subject, writes: "No accident tracenble to color-blindness, so far as we know, has occurred on our lines" Che of the railroad journals of this country, the Railway Age, in its investigation of the sub iect received answers from thirty-seven superintendents and managers of railroads, no one of whom ever heard of an accident re- sulting from color-bindness. These facts speak for themselves.
 In addition to reporting that they had not been able to find that any railroad accident had ever been caused by color blindness, the Massachusetts Commissioners, very sensibly, as it seems to us, reported that the extent of dangerous color blindness has been greatly LI-- I properly made by persons not medical ex- perts; and that such examinations will cer- tainly be sufficient, if doubtful cases are re- ferred to such experts. The Commissioners did not recommend any legislation, rightly believing that the interest of railroad corpor ations would make. them careful to avoid even false charges tnat they employed men who could not see or were dangerously color blind The Connecticut Legislature might properly have taken this view of the matter, or at least not have acted as hastily as it did.
 The law was passed under the impression that it would make travel on our railroads safer If it would, no one could be guilty of obiecting to it's main provisions, though they might to its crudeness and extravagance. So 1at tS N0 kIS dO1o IO JuOSO HUH G4O way 144C law has worked in this city, it does not tend to make travel on the Consolidated railroad any safer, for most of the men who have failed to pass the examination are rated by those who work with them and by the officers of the road as among the very best and most capable. It is true that they have failed to answer the requirements of such rules as the following: For the qualitative estimation of color blindness the following tests are to be employed; Holmgrens worsteds, the Tables of Stilling, Donder's color test patterns, Fingers Letters with Tissue papers Daac tests and Woinows Revolving cards may also be used. For the quantitative test for color blindness Donder's reflected spots, Donder's s method with transmitted light, and Holmgrens shadow test shall be employed. " But they have their eyes wide and continuous ly open for signals, and the fact that some of them have seen and answered signals prompt ly and properly for twenty-five years, IS 8 slight set of against the fact that they are not able te battle successfully with "Holm- gren's worsted' and "Donder's reflected spots." Whatever scientists may determine practical railroad men will continue to believe that those who can deal successfully for long term of years with the thickly set and (to the ordinary travellers eye) confusing signals that dot the Consolidated road just this side of New York, are fit for their business.
 Moreover, it may be stated that those who have failed to pass the examination have since been examined by officers of the road in very practical way, by trying them with signals while they were engines or in their places on trains. Nor ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN FOUND DEFICIENT ABILITY TO SEE AND ANSWER SIGNALS PROMPTLY AND PROPERLY. This test, we submit, is quite valuable as the more scientific one We would rather have Superintendent Reeds certificate of 8 mans fitness to run an engine or serve as a conductor or brakeman than that of Dr. Car- malt.
 To sum up, the law is unnecessary. it arbi- trarily and without good reason deprives worthy men of employment, makes too free with the money of the railroads, and it does not, apparently, increase the safety of the travelling public. It should not be kept in existence for the sake of the doctors who alone will find profit in it.