The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-29
COLOR-BLINDNESs.

A large proportion of the applicants for
admission to the United States navy at the
recruiting office in this city are rejected on
account of color-blindness or inability to
distinguish certain colors. The average
young Hoosier is sound physically and men,
tally, is well developed and can pass the
required examination for admission to the
ing to the recruiting officer, nearly half Of
them are afflicted with color blindness.
What is true here is probably true in near
ly the same proportion elsewhere. 1t is a
serious matter. Color blindness is bar to
admission to the army as well as the navy,
and many railroad companies make 1t a
bar to employment. Three States-Ohio,
Massachusetts, and Alabama-have enacted
laws on the subject, and in some other
States the railroad commissioners have
formulated regulations requiring the ex-
animation Of employees. For many years
past the Pennsylvania Central Railroad has
required an examination for olor-blindness
of all its employees connected with the oper-
ating department. 1t has discharged thou
sands of men for this defect. many of whom
have found employment on other roads
which are not so strict. To-day there are
thousands of men employed in responsible
positions on railroads who are color-blind,
making them unable to read color signals
with accuracy. That this is the cause of
many accidents there can be TO doubt. The
Narv Work Central Railroad Copnapx, ayv,
ploys two physicians whose duty it is to
travel over the system, examining and re-
examining the men from time to time In
1896 circular was addressed to one hun
bred of the most important railroad cor
porations in the United States, controlling
in all 1880 miles of road. inquiring if ex-
aminations were made as to or-blindness
of their employees. Thirty-five companies.
controlling 54.4s5 miles. replied that they
made careful examinations; thirty-one COM
panies. controlling 29.42S miles. said they
made no test. and thirty-four companies,
circular.
r-blindness may be hereditary or ac-
quired. but in either case it has it's seat in
the sensorium, not in the visual apparatus
That is. the eyes see all right, but the
nerves convey false message to the brain.
A person may have perfect vision as to
form. shape and distance. and yet be color
blind. Hereditary or congenital color-blind-
ness is incurable. but that which is acquired
ought to be susceptible of Improvement by
treatment. and. what is still better. should
be preventable Is II not possible that color
blindness Is In many cases due to the fact
that the person never had any early train
ing in colors? No person knows naturally
the difference between a true note and a
false note In music, or the difference be-
tween a fiat and a sharp. This knowledge
Is the result of training. May 1t not be
somewhat the same with colors? Suppose a
person were born blind and first acquired
the power OF vision at maturity: he could
not tell one color from another. not even
white from black, without instruction. A
very young child knows no difference in
colors. III. then, the power to discriminate
J between different colors is an acquired DOW