Azotic gas

This morning, an excise officer, named Littlejohn, was found dead in a vat of strong beer, in a state of fermentation, at the brew-house of Mr. Thornton at Horsham.

It came out, in evidence, before the coroner's jury, on a view of the body, that the deceased went to the brewhouse, on Monday night, to make his accustomed survey; and that in leaning over the vessel, the azotic gas, arising from beer in such a state, might suffocate him, and cause him to fall into the liquor; they therefore returned a verdict of accidental death. The vessel containing about 16 barrels of beer, was by Mr. Thornton's direction, thrown into the common sewer.