August 27

On this date in 1967 Beatles manager Brian Epstein was found dead. Death was due to an overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol. There is speculation that his death was suicide, although the coroner ruled the death as accidental. Carbitral® was a bromide containing sleep aid widely available and used in Europe at the time.  Brian Epstein suffered from insomnia and was a chronic user of Carbitral®. Bromide persists in the body. One theory is that Brian Epstein took his Carbitral® the evening of his death. He was drinking (adding an additional sedative) and forget he took his dose. He then took more Carbitral®.   It is also said that Epstein left a suicide note.