COLOR BLINDNESS IN RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 953, 23 July 1880, Page 3

COLOR BLINDNESS IN RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

The work of examining the 5000 employees of the Pennsylvanian Railroad Company as to their power of distinguishing colors and forms was begun in Jersey city on April Ist last. Acuteness of vision was tested by means of pi luted cards placed at a distance of 20ft. ; also by means of small openings in a screen illuminated on the further side. Many who successfully passed these ordeals failed signally in the color tests Three skeins of woollen yarn were used, one being light green, the second rose, ami the third red. Each of these was placed on a table in front of the person examined, at a distance of three feet, and, with the vision of either eye obstructed by a spectacle frame, the man was requested to name the colors, a'so to pick out a similar shade to one orother of the three specified from different skeins of woollen yarn numbered from Ito 30. One young man correctly designated the test skein as red, but on being told to select a ‘similar shade from the skeins before him, he picked three shades of blue, two of yellow, anil one of red. He could distinguish no difference ; and the same thing happened to half-a-dozen others who followed him. The skeins in the row were then divided into three sets, with twelve numbers in e’ch. Some men proved able to distinguish all the shades of green, hut failed lamentably in picking out the different shades of red. The oflicers of the road were greatly impressed it is said, by the results obtained.