Report to the Board on color-blindness / by E. Hutchinson.

  • Hutchinson, E. (Edwin)
Date:
[between 1880 and 1889?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report to the Board on color-blindness / by E. Hutchinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1/22 (page 6)
    .-■M % REPORT TO THE BOARD ON COLOR-BLINDNESS. By E. HUTCHINSON, M. D. To the Honorable, the Railroad Commissioners of the State of New York: Gentlemen :—In compliance with your request, I have examined the subject of color-blindness, imperfect vision and deafness, as occur¬ ring among railroad men, for the purpose of ascertaining the best methods of protecting the public from the consequences of these defects. I have the honor to submit the following report: * * 1 * » Color-Blindness. In 1877, Prof. Frithiof Holmgren, of the University of Upsala, Sweden, published his book on color-blindness in its. relation to rail¬ roads and navigation. He gave the first great impulse toward the movement to have engineers and pilots, and all others whose duties require them to know color signals by day and night, properly examined as to their color sense. In 18557Prof. George Wilson, of the University of Edinburgh, wrote a book calling attention to the great need of perfect color sense in railroad employes and sailors, but he did not establish such a perfect method of examination as did Holmgren, nor did he succeed in gaining the interference of any government to carry out his plans. In one instance, that of the Great Northern railway, the company resolved that no person should enter its service who could not prove himself free from any defect of the chromatic sense. This was done after Dr. Mackenzie, of Glas- [R. R. Com.] 6