The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-16
COIOr.BIindness.
EXPERIMENTAL TESTS ON THE ILLINOIS GEN.
TRIAL RAILWAY.

EXPERIMENTAL TESTS ON THE ILLINOIS GEN.
TRIAL RAILWAY.
CHICAGO, September 10.-John +. Owens,
experimenting surgeon OF the Illinois Cen
tral railroad. has made report to Mr.. JEFF
fery, superintendent, covering the general
subject OF examinations for blindness
and visual power by means OF red and
green flags, red and green lanterns,
and different colored worsteds. He
urges Slr. Jeffery not TO encourage
the employment Of flags and lanterns
for the detection of color-blndness. The
case OF an emplOye OF the Illinois Central,
examined at Amboy, H., who was found
coIor-blnd by Holmgren's worsted-. is cited
in the report as being OF particular interest.
Mr. w. X. Head, persnna-iniury agent,
suggested the flag test after they had used
the worsteds. Being interested 10 see the
result, he encouraged a second examination
and stood near the person examined in or
der to hear his answers. The day was dark
and rainy. They used building about
ninety feet in length. The result Of the eX-
animation is thus given by DR.. Owens:
MIR. Head, having secured two clean, new
flags, red and green, stood at one end OF the
building, opposite to an open door or WIN
dow, in such manner as to be unseen by the
examined. Mr.. Jacobs, division superin-
tendent; Mr.. Adams, master OF machinery
DR.. Travers, myself, and several Others, to-
eether with the employe being examined,
stood at the other end OF the building. Mr..
Jacobs conducted the examination. When
the flags were exposed | noticed that the
| light from the window or door fell directly
upon them, and this rendered the colors
| bright The man answered correctly for
time, as the ilgs were exposed, and think
we would all have been willing TO have
stopped the examination and to have re-
ported him normal as TO color perception so
far as the test by flags was concerned. The
examination, however, was continued. and
finally the examined person said, rather
hesitatingly, as the green flag was held out
to him, 81 should call that green" "You
say 'should," answered Mr.. Jacobs ;
saint you certain Of it?" "Well, yes
(ratber hestatingly), should call 1t green"
At this second stage the examination
might well have rested, with result in Ia
yor OF the examined. take it that less
critical non-medical examiner than Mr.. Ja-
cobs might not have given due apprecia-
ton to the word "should" in the answer
| noted.
/ at once said TO the examined, "Could
you swear that that is green?"
"Ob, no." said be; 81 could not swear
to it,"
This answer surprised US all.
| Mr.. Head then went outside the building,
about 400 feet away, and held up bright
red flag, there being in the immediate back.
ground tree in rich foliage. This he called
green flag. This case certainly brings us
10 one conclusion at least-yiz., the danger
"A os.,tD ~ ho Aay
Finally, as Connecticut has the honor OF
being the pioneer in this work OF reform by
an enactment OF a State law, let me con-
gratulate you. as the representative OF the
Illinois Central Railroad Company, having
at heart the desire for increased security TO
life and property, in tha, you, without law,
are the first in Illinois and the west 10
strive to eliminate such new sources OF
danger on railroads as are to be found
under the head Of visual defects.