362 Report of the Committee on Colour-Vision. 



il South Eastern Bail way, 



" G-eneral Manager's Office, 



" London Bridge Station, S.E., 



" June 27th, 1890. 



"Colour Blindness. 



" Sir, — With reference to your circular of the 16th instant on 

 this subject, I beg to state, so far as concerns the practice of this 

 Company in this matter, in connection with those entering* their 

 service, it is as follows : — Candidates for employment as Porters, 

 &c, are required to match colours from a collection of coloured 

 objects or wools of various tints, and the medical man also uses 

 the tests known as Snellen's tests. 



"Applicants for employment as Engine Drivers enter the 

 service as Engine Cleaners, and as a preliminary, a collection of 

 coloured wools is placed before the candidate, and he is requested 

 to pick out various colours as directed, and unless he is able to 

 distinguish the colours readily and correctly, he is not considered 

 eligible. 



" In time an Engine Cleaner is promoted to a Fireman, and on 

 this taking place, the colour test is again applied, supplemented 

 with tests with hand flags at various distances. 

 " I am, Sir, 



" Your obedient Servant, 



"M. FENTON, 



" General Manager. 



" W. de W. Abney, Esq., 



" The Royal Society, Burlington House, W." 



" The G-reat Northern Bailway, 



" General Manager's Office, 



" King's Cross Station, 



" London, N., 



" July 15^, 1890. 



"Dear Sir, — In reply to your letter of the 16th ult., addressed 

 to the Secretary, on the subject of the tests applied to men 

 admitted to the Great Northern service for Colour Blindness, I 

 have the pleasure to enclose for your information a copy of a 

 Report which I have called for from the Medical Officer, giving 

 full particulars of the tests for the traffic staff. 



" I also enclose copy of a Report from the Locomotive Super- 

 intendent, with reference to the tests applied to Enginemen. 



" I can only add to the information contained in these, the 

 statement that I do not know of any cases where an accident . 

 has resulted from Colour Blindness on the part of any of the 

 Company's servants. 



" The test applied to the Enginemen is a practical one, not only 

 for colour but for distance, which is a very necessary element. 



" Yours truly, 



" W. W. Abney, " H. OAKLEY. 



"The Rryal Society, S.W." 



