The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-31
Over 1900 Pounds De-
stroyed at Ponce,

Washington, Dec. 90-The war in
.vestigating commission held brief ex-
.ecutive session and at noon adjourned
until Tuesday, Jan. 8. The commission
today made public a report omitted in
the statement given out yesterday,
bearing on the beef controversy. 1t is
from Mai. w. H. DAILY, chief surgeon
at army headquarters at Tampa, prior
to the sailing of the Shafter expedition,
and is as follows:
Washington. Sept. 81, 1S9S.-To the
assistant adjutant general, headquar-
tiers of the army Washington: SRI
have the honor to report in the inter
ests of the service. that in the several
inspections l made in the various
camps and troopships at Tampa, Jack
sonville, Chickamauga and Porto Rico,
that l found the fresh beef to be APP
parently preserved with secret chemi-
Gals which destroys it's natural flavor,
and which, 1 also believe to be, detri-
mental to the health of the troops
While on duty at the headquarters
OF the army at Tampa, at the time of
the embarkation of the Shafter expe-
oition, Col. Weston, the efficient chief
commlssary, showed me a quarter of
peer that had already been in the sun
and was IerCeptibly tainted so far as
the sense of smell could detect. II is
impossible to keep fresh beef long I'M
tainted in the sun in that climate with
out the use Of deleterious preservatives
such as boric acid, salicylic acid or
nitrate OF potash injected into it in
quantities likely to be hurtful to the
health of the consumer.
AT Ponce, Porto Rico, much of the
beet examined arriving on the trans
ports from the United States, and was
also of the same character. apparentIv
preserved by injected chemicals to aid
deficient cold storage.
Where efficient cold storage is i'm
possible, transporting beef alive is the
nethod that should receive the fullest
consideration by the government as be-
ing safe for the consumer. When de-
tailed to the transport Panama convey
ing conVdlesCents, I obtained 20OO
pounds of fresh beef from the commits
sary at Ponce.
1t looked well, but had an odor sim
liar to that Of dead human body af-
Ter pelng injected with personalities.
AFTER standing day for further in
spectlon, 1t became so bitter, nauseous
ana unpalatable as To be quite impos-
slble for use. 1t was therefore neces-
sary, owing to it's condition and the
Just complaints of the sick about it and
the dlsgustingly sickening odor it emit
ted when being cooked and its nawkisb
nat taste when served and the safety
of the patients, 255 convalescent sol
dlers on board, to organize a board of
survey, condemn and throw overheard
1910 pounds, all we had.
consequently The convaIescents
were entirely without much needed
fresh beef, making the duty OF bring
ing the men to the United States in an
improved condition, 4 very difficult
matter.
In my inspection Of the Fourth
Thlteo States volunteer infantry at
Jacksonville recently. 1 observed the
same odor and taste upon inc fresh
peet' but not so marked, and at the
camp OF the Sixth United States vol
unteer infantry at Chickamauea.
there inspected a lot of beef is
sued TO that regiment. and while it
looked well, was of a sickening odor
IKE a human body dead of disease and
injected with personalities, and when
cooked was quite unpalatable, conse-
quehtly likely to prove an efficient
cause OF i'll health. The men COM
planned of it's insipid and maWl1ish fla
Vor that high seasoning could not con-
ceal. Believing that the cOmmissarv
department has been imposed upon bv
the instructed commercial spirit Of
persons furnishing fresh beef I re-
spectfuIly recommend that the matter
be Investigated by experts. making a
cumulative and qualitative chemical
analysis of the several preservatives
suspected to be used by getting sam
pies of beef furnished for export to
Cuba and Porto Rico.
If the question arises that a, report
should have been made by men earlier
peg to say that have endeavored
with all my opportunities to first in
form myself by observation of the CON
ditions and drawing the attention Of
the adiutant general of the army to
the matter. Very truly.
wv. H. Day,