Ammonia gassing deaths--a report on two cases

The gross postmortem features of two victims (a 17-year-old and a 33-year-old male, both of Chinese descent) who died shortly after an ammonia-gassing exposure, are presented. The findings of extensive thermal burns on the body surfaces and on the lips, conjunctivitis and opaque cornea on both eyes, oedematous and congested lungs with large areas of haemorrhages, etc, were consistent with injuries inflicted by a corrosive gas such as ammonia. The postmortem toxicological findings of elevated blood ammonia levels supported the postmortem findings. The pulmonary and femoral blood ammonia levels (0.26 mg/mL and 0.65 mg/mL) of decedent one were at least 371 times and 928 times respectively higher than normal. Similarly, the pulmonary and femoral blood ammonia levels (0.51 mg/mL and 0.43 mg/mL) of decedent two were at least 728 times and 614 times respectively higher than normal.