The Portland daily press., 1898-12-31
ARMY EMBALnED BEEF.
Chief Surgeon at Tampa Confirms
Miles Charges.
BEEF FURNISHED TROOPS CON
TANNED VARIOUS CHEMICALS.

AaMcy0c ACID, bOr1c Aciu anu NAeA~eo Va
| Potash Among Ingredients Uscd--
| Beef When Cooked Gave Off Oder
| Like EmbaImed Human Body.
Washington, December 30.-The war In
vestigating commission held a brief ex-
ecutiye session today and at noon ad-
journed until Tuesday, January 8.
| The commission tody made public re-
port omitted in the statement given out
yesterday bearing on the beef controversy.
1t was from Major sW. H. Daley, chief
surgeon at army headquarters at Tampa,
prior to the sailing Of the Shafter ex-
petition and is as follows:
| Washington, December 81, lS9S
| To the Assistant Adjutant General Head
| quarters of the Army, Washington, u.
| c.:
| Sir-I have the honor to report in the
| interests of the service that in the several
| inspections l made in the various camps
and troopships at Tampa, jacksonville,
Chiokamauga and Porto Rico, that
found the fresh beef to be apparently pre-
served with secret chemicals which de-
stroys it's natural flavor and which also
| believe to be detrimental to the health OF
| the troops.
While on duty at the headquarters OF
| the army at Tampa at the time OF the en-
barkation of the 'tSbafter Expedition
Col. Weston, the efficient chief commits
sary showed me quarter of beef that had
already as test been sixty hours IN the
sun without being perceptibly tainted so
| far as the sense of smell could detect. It
is impossible to keep fresh beef go long
| untainted in the sun in that climate
without the use of deleterious preserves
such as boric acid, ,salicylic acid, or nitrate
of potash injected into it in quantities
| likely to be hurtfui TO the health OF the
consumer. At Ponce, Porto Rico, much
Of the beef I examined arriving on the
| transports from the United States was al
| SO of the same character. being appsrent'
| ~ preserved by injected chemicals to aid
deficient cold storage
Where efficient cold storage is impossible
transporting beef alive is the method that
should receive the fullest consideration
by the government as being safest for the
health of the consumer.
When detailed to take charge Of the
transport Panama for conveying conva.
lesoents to the United States, | obtained
1000 pounds of fresh beef from the com.
missary at Ponce. 1t looked well, but
had an odor similar to that of dead
human body after being injected with
preseryatives, and tasted when first
after standing day for further inspec-
tion 1t became so bitter, nauseous and IN
palatable as to be quite impossible for
use. was therefore obliged, owing to its
condition and the just complaints OF the
sick about it, and the disgustingly sick
eping odor 1t emitted when being cooked,
and It's nauseous fiat taste when served
and the safety of the patients, $50 conva'
lescent soldiers on board, to organize a
board of survey, condemn and throw i've
hundred pounds, all we had, overheard.
Consequently the convalescents We're en-
tirely without much needed fresh beef,
making the task of bringing the men te
| the United States in an improved con-
dition very difficult matter.
In my inspection OF the 18th U. b.
volunteer infantry at Jacksonville, re-
Gently, observed the same odor and taste
| upon the fresh beef, but not so marked
and at the camp of the sixth United
| States volunteer infantry at Chickamauga
also. at several Investigations observed
1T markedly. l there inspected q lot Of
beef just issued to that regiment and
while 1t looked well was of sickenine
odor like a human body dead of disease
and injected with rreservatives, and
when cooked was quite unpalatable. con
sequently likely to prove an efficient
cause Of Ill health. The men complained
of it's insipid and mawkish flavor tha,
high seasoning could not conceal,
Believing that the commissary depart
ment has been imposed upon by the mis-
directed commercial spirit of persons fur
nishing fresh beef, respectfully recon-
mend that the matter be investigated by
experts, making a quantltat1ve anc
qualitative chemical analysia OF the
several preservatives suspected to be usec
! by getting samples of beef furnished Tol
export to Cuba and Porto Rico.
kf<.I4 axSc<
should have been made by me earlier,
| beg to say that I have endeavored with
ali my opportunities to first informemy
self by observation of the conditions above
noted sufficiently to warrant my drawing
the attention of the adjutant. general a
headquarters of the army to the matter.
| Very respectfully,
| w. II. DAILY,
| Major and Chief Surgeon, o. S. Vols.
| Adiutant General Cor bin has been in
yited to appear again as witness befor:
the commission with the object of making
any corrections or additions to his former
| testimony.
BEEF CAUSED SICKNESS.
Cleveland, December 30.-General Geo
A. Garretson of this city who commanded
a division in Porto Rico, agreed today
| with General Miles that the canned beel
1
unfit for use. The General said today
that large amount of the meat had to b.
thrown away by the commissary Officers
of his division ''The condition OF
affairs" said General Garretson. ''wa
every bit as bad as is reported. Consider
able canned beef totally unfit for the U.S.
of human beings was discovered by thu
conmissary officer of the division com
manded. When the matter was reported
to me, I ordered all meat unfit for use e
be destroyed. had previously seen to l
that large number OF beeves were takeI
with the division. These were slaughteret
and as they were needed. In tna5 wa.
we had as much fresh meat as possible
and used as little canned stuiI as W
could possibly get along with. There i
no doubt that this bad meat was tn'
cause of a large part OF the sickness
among the men. In several Instance
whole lots of the stuff had to be de
stroyed.
a BEEF inquiry.
x,.-,aInramenfs Have Resulted IL