§ Mr. HENNIKER HEATONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether there is any civilised country in the world, besides our own, which regards the wool test, the official test of the Board of Trade, as a reliable test for colour blindness; whether he is aware that not a single ophthalmic surgeon of eminence in this country is of opinion that the wool test is an efficient one; and whether he can state how many, if any, of the examiners of the Board of Trade, either those employed in the first instance or on appeal, have any knowledge of physiology or ophthalmology?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am obtaining information as to the countries which have adopted the Holmgren Wool Test as a test for colour blindness in the Mercantile Marine. This test was adopted by the Board of Trade on the advice of a Committee of the Royal Society, which comprised both eminent physiologists and physicists, and I have reason to think that the highest scientific opinion is in favour of its efficiency. One of its advantages is that it can be applied by persons who possess no knowledge of physiology or ophthalmology. No such knowledge is, therefore,1818W demanded of the Board of Trade examiners in the first instance. But in the supervision of their tests, in the instructions of their examiners and in the conduct of their special examination on appeal, the Board have the advantage of the services of two acknowledged authorities on colour vision —both Fellows of the Royal Society, who hold the degree of Doctor of Science.