The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-11-15 00:00:00

PANICS IN PUBLIC ASSEMBLIES.

We have so repeatedly and at such length, from
points of view special as well as general, discussed
the subject of panics in public assemblies that it is
difficult (says the Lancet) to offer any suggestion that
can claim notice on the score of newness There is,
however, more than sufficient food for thought in
this topic, and without dwelling on the details of the
recent lamentable occurrence at Glasgow, or attempt.
ing to determine the exciting muse of the catas-
trophe, which is, indeed, sub "udice, it may be worth
while to offer a few observations on the matter as a
whole. Panics will take place as long as assemblies
are held, and without in the least abating anything
of the remonstrance we, in cominon with our contem-
poraries, have from time to time addressed to local
and central authorities against the neglect to enforce
proper precautions, it must be conceded that, even if
the assembly in which a panic occurs consisted of a
dense concourse of people in the centre of an open
plain, • without buildings or rails, or anything what-
ever to prevent the crowd from dispersing, dire acci-
dents would be sure to befal the innermost of the
persons congregated, and deaths would probably
ensue either from pressure, suffocation, or trampling.
It is therefore useless and misleading to wholly blame
the surroundings of a panic-stricken crowd for the
commotion which occurs in it, or for the conse-
quences which ensue when silly, or for the moment,
senseless, people rush madly on their own destruction.
The real fault is in the average mind; and, unfor-
tunately, the very dwelling upon these "accidents,"
and the word-picture painting of their horrors in the
newspapers, inevitable and necessary as publicity
must be deemed, are evils, inasmuch as they
aggravate the susceptibility to panic which, above
all things, it is most desirable to reduce and
relieve. If only reason could be retained, and weak-
minded and excitable folk would not go stark raving
mad the instant some fool or knave cries " Fire " in
a public assembly, all would be well. No punishment
is too great for the wanton scoundrel who raises a
needless terror. Ile is worse than a murderer. Hang-
ing is too good for such a criminal. No words can
adequately express the indignation that must be felt
against an offender of this class; but the fatuous and
contemptible excitability of the majsrity of sightseers
is scarcely less abhorrent. to common sense and
humanity. Is life so very precious, is death—the in-
evitable—so appalling, that the poor, mean fool must
lose his wits and forget everything but his miserable
lien on existence the moment the right of property
seems to be assailed? If half a dozen savage dogs, or
a few stalwart men with cart whips could be let loose
on a panic-stricken assembly. the beet possible treat-
ment would be adopted. This is how the shrieking
multitude ought to be reduced to order. We begin to
think stern reproach should take the place of compas-
sion for thevictims of panic. Harm has beendone,and
is done, by laying too much 3tresa on the need of
special precautions. Let crowds be taught to take care
of themselves. Let those who go to crowded assem-
blies of all sorts and conditions clearly understand
that they go with their lives in their hands, at their
own sole risk; and that they must shift for themselves,
and if they behave like idiots they must take the con-
sequences. This is the line of argument which strikes
us as not merely politic, but proper to the case. There
is too much trusting to others, and to the provisions
for safety which the managers of public assemblies
ought to be compelled to make. It is nor.s.ense, idle
and worthless ignorance, to talk of the possibility of
emptying a building is so many minutes or seconds.
All such calculations are rendered useless and inappli-
cable the instant a panic occurs. A doorway out of
which ten men might walk abreast would not suffice for
the safety of even one hundred persons if they all
rushed to it at once. The reduatio ad absurdum is
made by almost every "accident." The wider the exit
the greater the rush, and the greater the rush the
greater the accident, without regard to the structure
or the way of exit. If a thousand persons can be
got out of any building in two minutes, the whole
thousand will be jammed together in trying to get
out in half the proper time. It is the madness that
causes the calamity, not the limitation of the means
of exit, provided always that these are fairly adequate.
Something must be done to secure immunity from
panics, and still more needs to be done to induce or
compel persons to act as sane creatures instead of
lunatics in the face of danger. We would urge this
subject on the consideration of members of our profes-
sion and the public generally. Lectures on the folly of
panic might with advantage be delivered from time to
time, and it would be well if a serious attemp was
made in every city, town, and populous district to
discipline crowds and to inculcate the great lesson of
safety, which consists in the experience that cowardly
craziness in the presence of real or supposed danger
is alike discreditable to men, to women, and even to
litle children, who ought to be taught betimes that
all must die, and that to run madly away from death
is to surrender the claim to live, and to show that
the gift of life has been unworthily bestowed, and is
unmerited.

In the church of Foktoe, Auqtria,a mosaic, represent
kg Archbishop Patatics, has been accidentally found
near the high altar. The interior of the church was to
be painted, and when the old paint had been washed off
a magnificent picture, of the existence of which the
poitle of Foktoe had no idea was tound.
:+ • - a."