168 COLOR-BLINDNESS IN ITS RELATION TO 



improvemeut iu cases where the correspondiug organs are not wanting, 

 but are simply deficient in sensibility. Moreover, we are very much in- 

 debted to Dr. Favre for having interested himself in the question of the 

 treatment of congenital color-blindness, and also for having undertaken 

 the work of applying this treatment. If this idea is generally admitted, 

 it will, without any doubt, produce excellent fruits, among others that 

 of introducing examinations into schools, so that color-blindness will be 

 discovered in time to be cured, if that is really possible, or if not, that its 

 subjects may be enabled to choose a career in which their infirmity will 

 not be attended by inconveuieu(!e or danger. This is, moreover, the only 

 means by which we can reach a perfectl^^ decisive answer to the extremely 

 important question, whether or to what degree color-blindness may be 

 improved or cured. But it is also evident that the more important the 

 answer to this question, practically, the more does its solution require 

 critical methods and rigid investigation and control in order that when 

 the answer is once obtained no doubt may be cast upon its accuracy. 



On the other hand, we oppose iu the most positive manner every 

 measure relating to railway officials, sailors, etc., founded upon the idea 

 of the curability of color-blindness, until this question has been perfectly 

 established by an affirmative answer. It is evident that otherwise not 

 only is the danger of employing the color-blind on railways, etc., not 

 diminished, but also that the introduction of a radical reform iu this 

 matter is impeded. When Dr. Favre requests that the personnel on 

 railways and in the navy, etc., be exercised in distinguishing colors, 

 this demand, favorably received, can only lead to the admission of the 

 color-blind to the positions in question ; and then under the assurance 

 that their congenital defect may be cured, they are watched over until 

 they acquire the necessary amount of training. According to our opinion, 

 such a measure is positively dangerous, because it merely lulls the 

 authorities with the belief that the color-blind can cause no accident, 

 while in reality their defect is exactly where it was before, and, owing 

 to the exercise, has only become more difficult to detect, if for this pur- 

 pose a defective method is adopted. ' From this point of view it is 

 apparent that exercise, far from removing the danger, only increases it. 

 It may be answered indeed that, owing to exercise, the colorblind will 

 less frequently confound the signals than they will without exercise, and 

 this we willingly grant. But, on the other side, it is evident there should 

 be no question here of an alleviation, but of a radical correction. The 

 danger of employing the color-blind on railways or at sea once well 

 established, it is necessary*, it seems to us, to take measures for com- 

 pletely removing the danger, if possible. If comparative security can 

 satisfy, we already have it, either from the fact that all the officials cannot 

 be color-blind, or that the majority of such do not usually cause accidents. 

 But it is precisely the desire to save the communications from this state 

 of uncertainty that has inspired us with the idea of taking measures 

 against it, and we believe that we have proved by what we have said that 



