New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-31
Color BLINDNESS.
AND TOBACCO AMBLYOPIA.


From The Pail Mall Gazette.
The report Of the committee Of The Royal society on
Color Nslon," with the accompanying minutes, con
tnln, some curious rrdlng. The most practically
"morant fact brought out Is that OF the tests
now used for detecting defects OF vision III engine
drv,rs and ,.nni-u nrc Inefficient. ,OlOr blind men
nre actually ,duc,t-d To pas the examinations, a
piOics sion of what may De called 'olor-co"'hrs
having crown up 10 supply this want. The art Oi
crumuilg surely never mad mOr' strange and, on
NAV ado a more mlachicrons application than TN.
The committee had before them on OF these 6cntr
men but they do not give MS evidence Another
witness however, explains their method Of proceed
lng. Ihcy provide themselves with 7ot OF color
similar to those used In testing color SHOWN 10
the pupil II H.. say, green, and he calls IL red
ThcI'upon he II instructed 10 answer rrrn' when
of course 50 simple this would seem 10 make IL ont
The color sensation, are various In various indi
vduals and different unts make different Impressions
but the example is snhc-n TO show the method oi
color coaching" The committee rrconmcnd, me
universal and compulsory use OF "hat Is s"d io'" u,
color,d wool The examiner selects a skrin "t Ger
Is requested 10 pch out from the heap others OF lie
same type Of color, Irrespective OF shade. n c1IoI
blind person will match diabs, pinE, aad Sv mrnl'
with grass green; blues and vioets WIN nsm, purp
ro,e aud dark green or gnt green M'n u LIZ, NV"
That accidents have happened, either Hol 'r9 I ~
efficiency Of the test applied or from none haNl's u
applied at all seems 10 be e,'abhsnd Del9uI ao.u'
In July, 1873, a stean-tug and steamer cod'd near
Norfolk. Va. The master OF ne tug swoIr una, t.ir
steamer, red light was Inhibited. All the oflc"J
OF the steamer swore that the position OF thelr Nvs
was such TINT only the green hEht 'ouu nave W'I,
visible % TIE The master Oi TIE tus WaS i"uuu
on examination TO De colOrblnd. IN inns case Tue
defect the lives OF ten PERSONS IN hn1her us
nm accident was narrowly aVcrtcd The third officer
of n vessel seeing what he supposed 10 be a green
Hight in approaching SHIP called 10 me man u,
the wheel 10 port Happily tn" captain was Oh
deck and countrrmandcd the order II turned out
that the man was color-blind. lie was removed from
that ship but probably followed HI, occupation else.
where 4 somewhat alarming fact Is that temporary
color blindness may be- brought on By excessive
smoking Tobacco amblyopia it Is called and IT may
I've brought on. brought on IN a cl>" d'scrD'n'
by smoking half an ounce Of shagdnlly, not an "A
cessivc allowance. by the WY IL ulaHpp'HiS wiz"
the il removed. 80, IN.
* to the frequency 81 cOlorbllndneSS there seems
10 be- variety Of opinion. or. possibly 81 'Np'fl'n''
IIolmgrcn found n perc"Itag" OF mile more tian
3 In the ~ los men that he examined l'nt IN ~
lads examined for naval cadetshp> In l-r5 Only one
color blind was found and In the two following yriN
the percentage only l02 and III. II Is curious
10 be- told that "A hundred girls can b" tested III inc
same fine as forty boys. Probably they are quicker
and more docIle but another witness Tells Us. that
cnn lllndTc,s l. very nInOng WOlncn