Incurability of congenital color-blindness / by B. Joy Jeffries.

  • Benjamin Joy Jeffries
Date:
[1878]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Incurability of congenital color-blindness / by B. Joy Jeffries. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    These girls, lie remarks, were under excellent teachers, and a large number had passed through the salles d'asile where colors were taught. Dr. Favre then says, “ The examination of these several reports shows that many children of both sexes come into the salles d'asile and schools without a notion of the elementary colors. The number of children lacking in this sensation in the majority of boys’ schools I have visited is from twenty to thirty per cent. This ratio diminishes in proportion as the attention of the scholars is directed by their teachers to colored objects. Certain exercises, the painting of plans, geographical cards, lessons in natural history, etc., have an evident influence on the schol- ars’ progress in this sense. Amongst the girls, sewing-work, embroidery, the care of the clothing, the handling of flowers, much reduces at eight years of age the number of those who have difficulty in distinguishing one or more of the elementary colors. At this age the number of boys avIio make marked mistakes in naming colors is still quite lai’ge, and we have found that if the majority easily acquire a knowledge of colors, many of these need watchful and continued care, requiring to be exam- ined periodically, so to speak, till we are assured of their cure. What is the best method to use in the schools ? Experience may teach us further, but from our obseiwations during the last five years we feel authorized to draw the following conclusions: Male and female teach- ers should be required (1) to question, separately, the scholars of their class as to the five elementary colors, and also as to white and black. (2.) To carefully record at the time of examination the scholar’s replies against his name. (3.) The scholars who have made mistakes should be individually called twice a week, and the colors named before them ; they should be questioned and taught till it is shown that they have acquired an exact notion of the elementary colors. (4.) There should be periodic examinations. (5.) Whenever occasion presents, the pre- cise names of colored objects exhibited should be spoken before the whole class. (6.) An advanced course on colors should be given schol- ars destined for special professions, by the aid of Chevreul’s color chart and the most commonly manufactured articles.” “ The treatment of color-blindness in the adult also has given us very conclusive results, which we have embraced in an unpublished article presented to the Academy of Science.” Dr. Favre says again, else- where,1 “ I call for the introduction of exercises with colors in all the schools, in the army, in the marine, and on the railroads. I am per- suaded that by the precautions I have indicated a great number of accidents may be avoided, and I hope to be so fortunate as to cause congenital Daltonism to be stricken from the nosological list.” Dr. Favre has here undoubtedly simply mistaken the lack of knowl- 1 Resume des Memoires sur lc Daltonisme. Presenters a l’Acade'mie des Sciences. A. Favre. 1875.
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