With the Editor The Threat of Panic Panic is unpredictable. It may occur when least expected and without reasonable cause. Because of its spontaneity, it is ever a hazard where numbers of people congregate. It requires little to start a panic. The hissing of steam from a radiator in a theatre, the shout of “fire” by a boy during the showing of an aerial combat film in a motion picture theatre, and the scream of a theatre patron upon seeing a mouse at her feet all resulted in fatal panics. Recently 178 persons met death in a London air raid shelter panic when a woman carrying a child tripped at the bottom of a flight of stairs, and caused a stampede. The elimination of panic is impossible, but the chances of its occurring may be reduced by education of the public in safety measures to be taken in the event…
