The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-31
THE ROW OVER ARMY BEEF.
hoard or sURTEF TO INVESTIGATE
GEN. MILES's oH1RoES.

Troops In Porto kico-Chiof Surgeon
AlDnIy's Report. on His inspection of the
u2lReSr,perotsd I,s.F NJ r,mn, III,
~
Brig. Gen. Eagan. Commissary General OF Sub-
s%istencc. Secretary Alger has appointed n
board Of survey TO investigate tho charges
made by Major. Gen, Miles concerning the
character OF the refrigerated beef given TO tho
troops IN the war win spain Iho inquiry oil
.mo ooatu 10 rcstrlcteu Oy inc oinclal order 10
tue reHlRerat'u peer iurhlshed oy sWlIt& 20.
y 'he Oroops Ihas participated IN the forto
nice campaish, Whlch was conducted by MAJOR
oon' m'o'' oruer appointing inc ooaru IL
sN""S' ur,r,-
ADIuTAsr.G GENERALS OFFICE,
"hshiSefoS' c. Dec. 49, 1898 J
~ o'roenoh OK 'he secretary OF war; board OF
49, DS oueF." - convene ~ 'no u 10
- ~. h, = Ssn al 49, -, ,oo ono
oound. ~ rorr,.or.,.1 hoa, ~. $500 -. s-ir I.
a. 80 Csi..,a - ssaaaatn .ms w. $500
proner .Gort VA, made 70 food ,his hs.t 10 ,bs ,roon.
In Porto Rico. and TO AZ the responsibility IL due and
proper effort was not made; to ascertain and
report the character and quality OF the re.
rrigerated beef herein referred to; to ascertain and
report II IL was good and at meat for issue, II 1t had
been subjected to any chemical processes whatever,
ana To report whether or not the United states Ia re-
.pohs'oie ~ VI" ioSs OF 'he oeei' OF "ho' II any one
" los amo "ne'hor IN is opinion
~. -, ''"i" " W u
Nal Tor ,,o ,o,.,. ~, c,.., tt ,
.,tan, snrpeon.Gsner., Cot Janoo. Al No.
Assistant r.General; Col. Francis
Guenther. Fourth I. $. Artillery; Capt. L. c. Sherrer.
Assistant Acknowledgement Recorder.
CHIEF SURGEON DAILY on REFRIGERATED BEEF.
Tho War In vestigotion Comm;s.;o, ,oLJ,v
" var inNee,s"''oh No"mission to-uay
gave out a copy OF the report OF Chief Surgeon
W, II. DAILY Regarding the refriperated hoe,
which vns rend Inv Can Miles in his t~o.ttmonv
Ii is rs follows:
Il have the honor to report in the interests
OF the service that in the several inspections
made In the various camps ana troopships at
Tampa, Jacksonville. Chickamauga and Porto
'oo i YUM Nv iFes" oee' 10 oe apparently
with secret chemicals. which de-
I,sya 70 ha datrin,ontai 80 tho h.ar a'o &c u
80 W W ~ Jus heaith oI 'he
troops'
.ImS a, lampa, at the time OF the embarka-
the efficient Chief Commissary. showed me n
nnarter ~ hoo, tbot hod .Iraaan 80 w.. -
strtv hon.. 10 tha II nau u,,hn". as q 'es.. oeen
bly tainted, 80 fur as the sense of smell could
deteot. II ia / mpossibIs 70 reen fresh haaf 90
long untainted In the sun in that climate with
the use of deletcrlous preservatives. such
as boric acid. s~allcylic acid. or nitrate of,potasn
Injected into it in quantities likely to be hurt
full to the health Of the consumer. At Ponce.
irving on the TRANSPORTS from The JfniteT Stat.a
was also OF the same character. being spparo
rently preserved by iniected chemirnIs ~ aid
deiicient cold storage. e'e'ii'"'" "u
trapsportipg beef alive s IL fbe II 1n tm ! tbni
t-.ll C,'N Na.A'
as being safest FOR t5e beeaiftb' 1 ni
the consumer. When detailed to TAKE cbaree
valeseents to the Tnitea States + nbfaiInad
1900 pounds OF fresh beef from the commis-
TO that Of n lead bnp N nbania o ~
being inleeted with nrsservativea and toated
rirst cooked like boric acid
fion II became so bittar nnn.aanS ana9p 20
as to be quite impossi6ie sop use ~
therefore Obliged. owing to its condition
and tba disg,, stir aIv s ~ w .ne siSh aoouL ~;
being cooked and its mawkish fiat taste |
Tysnsen served; anu ne safety OF the patients.
lze q board OF survey, condemn and throw
d;ooV p99nds. AL we had, overheard, Conse-
out sp much hne eee Shxpi frssh ley we're Sa ehtlre y. with With
Of bringing the mon to the United States in an
improved condition very dificult. .,
States Volunteer Infantry OF Jacksonville re-
l observed the same odor and taste
up'th ~ icsn bboei' put, NOT SO marked. anu
~ the camp OF sixth United States Volunteer |
infantry at Chickamauga / also, at several in
spections. observed II. markedly. l there In
specteu q lot OF peer lust Issued to that regi-
ment, and while It looked. we'll was OF q sicken-
Ing odor like a human body dead OF disease
cooked was quite unpalatable; consequently |
likely TO prove an efficient cause of i'll health.
The men complained OF its insipid and mawk- |
ish flavor that high seasoning could not con- |
eeai
believing that. the Commissary Depart
ment has been IMPOSED upon by the mis-
directed commercial spirit Of persons furnish.
ing fresh beet. respectfully recommend that
the matter be investigated by experts, making
auantitattve and qualitative chemica analy-
BIS Of the several preservatiyes suspected to be
used by getting samples of beef furnished for
export to Cuba and Porto Rico.
III the question arises that u report should
nave been made by Inc earlieT. l beg to say
that have endeayored with, all my opportuni-
TIES to first inform myself by observation OF
the conditions above noted sufficiently TO war
rant my drawing the attention OF the Adju-
tant-General at headquarters Of the army to
the matter
METHOD OF pREpA RING TUE prpp
ronmi...r, Co., - -" nNhf'
7 All hro1 n INSfeSeIai Eagan mas received from
sistence' t. 4, A. stattinnedd at hTlshs;aary OF SUB.
Irmonr 4 Co IN answsp Eleueso3l. smith by