colorblindness (kulorblind"nes)

Incapacity for perceiving colors, independent of the capacity for distinguishing light and shade, and form. It is not a mere incapacity for distinguishing colors (for this might be due to want of training), but an absence or great weakne of the sensations upon which the power of distinguishing colors must be founded. Colorblindne may be total, that is, the absence of all perception of colors as such, independently of light and shade, all colors appearing simply as shades, or partial, the ens independently or intente distinguish had i culT he most common form of the latter defect is the inability to per ceive red as a distinct color, red objects being confounded with gray or green, and next in frequency is the inability to perceive green. The color which to a normal eye is complementary to the defective color appears as gray; and a mixture of white and black (gray) of the proper luminosity certainly cannot be distinguished by the color 1111 blind from the defective color (red or green). The results of statistical inquiries as to the prevalence of color-blindne show its existence in from 2 to 6 per cent. of males, while women the number of cases seems to considerably under 1 per cent. Also called daltonism and achromatopsia. color-box (kul'or-boks), n. 1. A portable box for holding artists' colors, brushes, etc.-2. An instrument, invented by Maxwell, for mixing the light of any three portions of the spectrum in any required proportions. color-chart (kul'or-chärt), п. A variously colored surface with lines of reference to facilitate the identification of colors.