320 Report of the Committee on Colour-Vision. 



had been found out accidently, or owing- to their being compelled 

 by their employers to undergo a re-examination, as to their 

 colour-vision by the Board of Trade or by opticians. I examined 

 them for colour-blindness by all ordinary tests. 



I use a good many, but Holmgren's is the one that I trust fully. 

 I have not kept records of those who were not colour-blind, 

 but they were very few, for there could be no reason for a man 

 who was not colour-blind coming to see me. I can, however, 

 remember two cases, and one of them whose case is fully 

 quoted in Pamphlet No. 2, page 7, shows clearly that by the 

 present Board of Trade testing a man who is not colour-blind 

 may be, by their tests, rejected as colour-blind. 



The Chairman : Taking any one company, can you form any 

 idea as to how many officers in their employ are colour-blind ? 



The Witness : No, because I do not examine for any company ; 

 but Dr. Hodgson, of Bootle, who examines for the Cunard Com- 

 pany, told me he rejected five out of 120 officers in the employ 

 of the Cunard Company for diseases of the eyes. This company, 

 long before the Board of Trade took up this matter of the 

 sailors' eye-sight, recognised the grave responsibility resting 

 with them in the selection of men (look-outs and officers) for 

 a duty which they considered of paramount importance. For 

 this they deserve every credit, and it is no doubt one reason of 

 the freedom this company has had from disaster (vide Pamphlet 3, 

 page 12). 



The Chairman : Have you details of the diseases of the 

 rejected men ? 



The Witness : No, but the same doctor quoted the case of an 

 officer who could not tell the colour of his ship's funnels, and did 

 not know that the fluid issuing from his nose on one occasion 

 was blood, until told by the bystanders. 



The Chairman: The point you want to bring before the Com- 

 mittee is that a test for colour- vision should be instituted at the 

 commencement ? 



The Witness : Yes, at the very commencement, and those who 

 have not perfect colour sight, and also good distant sight, should 

 not be allowed legally to enter the service at all. 



The Chairman: You wish further to point out that the 

 methods of testing by the Board of Trade are wholly insufficient ? 



The Witness : Yes. 



The Chairman : And that although you are not able to make a 

 numerical statement, you are convinced there are many persons 

 now in the Mercantile Service who are colour-blind ? 



The Witness : Yes. 



The Chairman : There are a number of training institutions for 

 the poor where destitute boys are sent, I believe ? 



The Witness : Yes ; the Indefatigable, Akbar, Clio, Clarence. 

 To the three latter vessels boys brought before magistrates 

 for vagrancy are sent without any reference being made as to 

 their fitness for the sea life. Everybody to be employed as 



