Report of the Committee on Colour- Vision. 307 



evidence of the necessity. We explain that the red signal is a 

 danger signal, but we very seldom find a man ignorant of this, 

 they generally know something of the work. There is no test 

 with lamps, because the glass which gives the green light is blue 

 by day-light. It is not a signal green glass, it is a blue glass 

 [the glass is peacock blue]. We test by day-light. If we 

 have gTeen glass with the lamp we find it an indifferent light. 

 The glass we use with gas is of a very definite green. 



In case of hesitation, would you ask the man for some 

 further examination, such as to pick out wool which was not 

 far from a given colour ? — We should not pass them if there 

 was any doubt. If a man chose the wrong colour I should not 

 think of passing him. It rests with the examiner and not with 

 a doctor to pass a man. Cases have occurred where men have 

 not been able to pass the examiner's sight test and have been 

 sent to the doctor, who has given a certificate. We have a 

 sight test ; the test is with the single eye — one being covered ; 

 also with both eyes uncovered. We do not test our men at 

 night as well as by day-light, further than already explained. 



If accidents only happen at night, should they not be tested 

 in that respect ? — No, I think not. We take it for granted if 

 a man can tell red in day he can at night. 



The Chairman : Suppose that there were wools here, none of 

 which matched that (red) exactly, but some nearly; if you 

 were to ask a man to pick out a near match, and he showed 

 hesitation, would you regard him as suspicious ? — If he picked 

 out the nearest, I should consider he had answered correctly. 

 The picking out of an exact match does not prove that a man is 

 not colour-blind. I have seen a man pick out brown, and call it 

 red. Red represents the danger signal, green represents caution. 

 On the Metropolitan Railway our signals are so arranged that in 

 the event of any breakage of the glass the white light is treated 

 as a danger signal. [Mr. Rix was here called, and the witness 

 applied the different tests to him, the questions being answered 

 to the satisfaction of Mr, Hanbury, who remarked that Mr. Rix 

 had good sight. He was, however, informed that that gentleman 

 was colour-blind. Mr. Hanbury stated that they would pass him 

 on the Metropolitan Railway. Mr. Rix was recalled, and his 

 colour-blindness proved by Dr. Grossmann's test.] 



The Chairman : Do you ever use Holmgren's test ? — I have 

 never seen it. 



Mr. Brudenell Carter : If Mr. Rix were confronted with 

 a single light he would not be able to tell which was green. His 

 deliberation shows he cannot do it in a moment? — I must admit 

 tha,t Mr Rix being colour-blind is an eye-opener. We have 

 about 500 men engaged in machine work, or on the engines. 



Mr. Brudenell Carter : Could you let me test them at 

 some time by arrangement ; it would not take long ? — Yes, 

 I should be very pleased to. I do not think painters painting 

 various colours on the carriages and other things make mistakes 



