MOB HYSTERIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23201, 22 November 1938, Page 15

MOB HYSTERIA

RAILWAY MISHAP SEQUEL COLLISION IN AUSTRALIA DOCTORS ALMOST MOBBED [from our owx correspondent] SYDNEY, Nov. 18 There have been several instances of "mob hysteria" in Australia recently, the latest being the mild panic which followed a slight railway collision at the Hawkesbnrv River station. About 20 passengers were injured—but only one seriously enough for hospital admittance—and many others wore shaken when an engine crashed into the back carriage of a stationary train. Little damage was done to the engine. The end of the carriage was smashed in for several feet. There was considerable confusion after the accident, because railway officials were unable to find doctors to attend to the injured. Most of the passengers, chiefly women, thought that their injuries were considerably more serious than they wore. When three doctors arrived more than an hour later thev were almost mobbed. Harassed railway officials did what they could to calm the crowd. Most of those who were hurt received their injuries when they were thrown from their seats against hard projections. Many fell to the floor. Officials tried frantically to find doctors to treat the injured, not realising, at first, that most of the injuries were unimportant. Ambulance men were available, but by an oversight were not called. When doctors arrived they turned a waiting-room of the station into a surgery. They worked as rapidly as possible, treating the more serious injuries first, but had some difficulty with excited patients. Some of the women were hysterical. One man, who stormily demanded instant attention, was found to ho scarcely hurt at all. The majority of the injuries proved to be very slight. One patient said afterward that the in the waitingshed had been "more like a farce than an accident." INCREASE IN TOURISTS POPULAR SOUTH AFRICA [from our OWN correspondent] JOHANNESBURG. Oct. 24 The number of tourists to South Africa during the first halt of this year show a considerable increase over the corresponding figure for last year. The figures are respectively 19.055 and 16.410, and the business visitors respectively 21.727 and 18,125. A significant feature of the returns is the extraordinary increase in the number of men who have come to the country on business missions recently. In .July of this year there wore '550, and in July, 1937, there were 154.