The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-14


tative Cowherd asked unanimous consent |
in the House on Saturday and 10 which /
Mr. Hopkins objected, has given rise 10
g discussion as TO prevalence Of color
blindness among those classes Of men to !
whom this is a dangerous defect Mr.
Cowherd's bin follows:
BE IJenacted. etc. That the President
be. and is hereby authorized to appoint
Frank B. Case. Of Missouri. a line officer
in the navy 10 take rank at the foot Of
his original class and next after Simon
Cook, and said case shall thereafter he
carried as additional to the numbers Of
each grade TO which he is appointed or
thereafter at any time promoted and he
shall perform shore duty or such duty al
sea as the physical disability for which
he was retired viii permit, and the pro-
vision OF section 1884 Of the Revised stat
utes are hereby made appilcaDle 10 ms
case: Provided. That the SAID case snail
establish 10 the satisfaction OF the Secre-
tary Of the Navy by examination pur5u-
ant TO Law. his mental, moral protes-
siouaI. and physical fitness 10 perform 'Ee
shore duties OF a lieutenant or OF The
grade 70 which he may be appointed.
Mr.. case Mr. COWEe-d explained MAS
appointed a cadet and passed ali the eX-
=
Academy sre subjected He went through
The full course and graduated On his sec-
oud trTn be vas sent as enc q the iVIte
On the relief expedition in search q lhe
Jeanette The navigating oihceF o. 'Ae
shin was taken sick. 50 that during alIhCSL
that entire voyage he had 10 occuls the
posirfGn of navigating officer, ana Ne-9
compelIed 10 be on deck and keep watch
When he returned from the voyage, re
was tInmcdi2t ely summoned 70 take an
examination for promotion. The doctors
then found that he was suffering rom
color blindness he had passed a. 4eaSt
three examinations prior 10 this time, ana
end M cnfGr-blIndue5s had been found
The physicians then held that color
blindness was congenItsl; that no man
could acquire color-bIindness by reason OF
his service. Therefore they held fha; ms
man ought never TO haze been received
in the navy. and that he ought 70 re
wholly retired, instead OF BENG placeu Oh
the retired list.
II Is nov recognized. Mr.. Cowherd said,
h. medical authorities that color blind
ness nav be either congenitai or acquired
and among The things given By the author
sites as most likely to cause coIof-cLpd-
ness IS exposure 10 the glare OF the sun
light from ice fields and from large terri
tories covered with snow The authorities
cite cases OF color blindness caused
nv exactly such circumstances as those
10 which Mr. Case was subjected OF the
trim taken Just before his examination
He was totally Teured-a proceeding IN
precedented practically in the navy
when there was not anything against the
efficiency of his service or against his
character. When the Spanish war broke
out ne offered his services 10 the Govern
ment. He was sent down 70 be examined,
and was pa ssed- OF course he was asked
whether he had ever seen service, and the
history Of his case was given 20 the ex-
amining board. He was given another ex-
animation. and two OF the three doctors
passed him again Then, at the earnest
solicitation Of the other physician, he was
given a third examination and was re
fected, although the color-blindness which
apUeared was al that time very slight
Dr. " r Eld-idge- Green, a prominent
ENGLISH specialist and author OF a volume
on color blindness in the International
Scientific Series, has recently called at
tention 10 the great need Of some intelii-
gent reform IL this matter OF examining
sailors and engineers for defective color
vision The reports OF the English Board
OF Trade show that the sO-called Holm
gren test has been used by the marine de-
partment since September, 1894, aud fail
ures OF color vision have averaged about
! per cent As careful estimates have
placed the number OF cOlOr-blind persons
al q minimum OF per cent, and OF those
whose color vision is so defective as to
unfit them for pilots and engineers at 8
per cent OF the whole population, it is
plain that The Holmgren test must be
passed By q considerable Eumber Of color
blind men every year The obviously
great danger from such man in a posi-
ti0n where his ability 10 read cOlOrs cor
rectIy Is essential TO the safety Of thou
sands OF people every day, makes the
question one OF immediate concern TO
every traveller
HcImgren's test, as IL is used by the
surgeons OF the United States Marine
hospitals II examining applicants for z
pilots license. consists essentially Of a
sorting into similar piles Of a mass OF
pieces OF yaricusly colOred yarns. II the
applicant succeeds in getting the different
shades Of green al in one pile, or red in
another, and so on, he is given his color
certificate There are other visual tests
made, but they have no reference &c color
vision. This certificate, if he has also
passed the regular pilots examination,
regarding channels, lights, etc, u the
waters where he wishes 10 ply MS trade,
entities him to i pilots license, and
whiie the Board OF Steamboat Inspectors
has the power 10 put MIN through an ad-
Gitional lantern test, with cOlored lights.
and reject him over the United States ma
rins surgeons certificate. as a matter OF
fact this second examination seems TO be
& dead letter, and is rarely If ever used
Dr.. C. Y Stoner, Chief Surgeon Of the
Uniled States Marine Hospital at Staple
ton, :. l. who has charged Of these exam
nations for that district, and who has
given much attention 10 the subject.
seemed 10 feel that the HOImgrsn test, il
somewhat extended and # cOnscientiously
carried ont by a competent surgeon. was
fairly satisfactory, but it should be re
membered that practically none OF the
surgeons who make these examinations
are trained oculists and that the tempta-
tioE. toward leniency 20 the candidate is
often very strong. He Is always nervous
and II IS oflentimes very difficult to de-
eide between simple awkward nervous
ness and a real color deficiency.
Concerning the examination Of railr az
engineers there appears 20 lie no legal r..
qulremeuls. the determination Of the fl.
ness Of the candidate being left entirely
in the hands OF the railroad companies
On most OF the railroads candidates 70
railroad engineers. who are drawn almos
entirely from the ranks Of the locomotive
fremen. are pHI through the HOlmg-el
test IN one OF its various forms. not. how
ever by a qualified surgeon. but by SOM
one Of the Office stan. 10 whom the dur.
has been delegated. On one OF the larg
railroads d lantern test in a dark room i
made the Importance Of which IS mud
insisted on by Dr. Green; but this Is prob
ably he only ease OF such a test bcinl