The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-31
"EMBAtMED BEEF

Still q Burning Question with war
Investigation Conmittce-AI Army
Surgeons Report on the Matter.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Dec. SO.-Tha
war investigation commission held a
brief executive session to-day, and at
noon adjourned until Tuesday, Janu-
ary 3, There was no important action
at to-day's meeting, and the matter Of
recalling Commlssary General Eagan,
Major General shafter or Major GEM
cral Miles. as a result of the agitation
over the beef issues in the war re-
mains unchanged. A decision probably
will be reached next Tuesday, when It
is likely that there will be full at
tendance of the commission, absence
over the holidays of a majority Of the
members resulting in making the past
weeks proceedings Of an unimportant
and routine character. The commission
to-day made public report, omitted
in the statement given OF yesterdays
hearing on tho beef controversy. It's
from Major ". H. Dalyrchlef surgeon
at army headquarters at Tampa prior
TO the sailing Of the Shafter expedition,
and is as follows;
WASHINGTON, d. O., Sept. 81. 1895.
To the Assistant Adjutant General.
Headquarters Of the Army Wash
ington:
Sir:-I have the honor to report in the
interests of the service that In the sew
eral Inspections made in the various
camps and troopships at Tampa, Jack
sOnvllle, Ch,ckamauga and Porto Rico
that found the fresh beef to be aP-
parently we'll preserved with secret
chemicals, which destroys Its 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, e the time OF the
Gmbarkation OF the Shatter expedition,
Col. Weston, the efficient chief COM
missary, showed me quarter OF beer
that had already, as n test, been sixty
hours in the sun without being percept.
ibiy tainted, so far as the sense OF
smell could detect. 1t Is impossible to
keep fresh beef so long untainted In
the sun In that climate without the use
OF deleteriOus preservntives, such as
boric acid, salsylic acid, or nitrate OF
potash Injected into 1t In quantities
likely to be hurtful to the health Of the
consumers At Ponce, Porto Rico, much
OF the beef arriving on the transports
from the United States was Of the same
character, being apparently preserved
by infected chemicals to aid deficient
storage.
Where efficient cold storage is impos-
siElu, transporting beef alive Is the
method that should receive the fullest
consideration by the government as be
ing safest for the health OF the consul
mer. When detailed to take charge OF
the transport Panama, for conveying
conVulescents to the United States,
obtained 1000 pounds Of fresh beef from
the commlssary n Ponce. 1t looked
we'll, but had an odor similar to that
OF a dead body after being injected
with preServatiVes, and tasted, when
first cooked, like deCompOsed boric acid,
while after a standing a day for further
inspection 1t became so bitter, nause-
GUS and unpaiatabie as to be quite i'm
possible for use. | was therefore oblig-
ed, owing to its condition, and the Just
complaints of the sick about 1t, and the
disgustIngly slckening Odor II emitted
when being cooked, and Its mnwlSish,
fiat taste when served, and the safety
OF the patients, 955 conVnlesCent SOL
dlcrs on board, to organize n board OF
survey, condemn and throw fifteen
hundred pounds, all we had, overheard,
consequently the cOnValescents were
entirely without MITCH needed fresh
beef, making the duty OF bringing them
to the United States In an improved
condition. very difficult matter.
In my inspection OF the Fourth Uni
ted States Volunteer Infantry, a. jack
sonvttte. recently, ! observed the same
odor and taste upon the fresh beef, but
not so marked; and at the camp OF the
Sixth United States Volunteer lnfan-
try, ut ChIcKAmRugn, also, at several
Inspections observed It markedly. l
there inspected lot Of beef Just Issued
to that regiment, and while II looked
well, was OF n slckening OdOr, like u
human body dead of disease and in-
jected with prcservatives. and when
cooked was quite unpalatoblc, conse-
duentiy likely n prove an efficient cause
OF IN health. The men complained OF
Its lnsipId and mawklsh flavor that
high seasoning could not conceal
Believing that the commisSary de-
pnrtment has been imposed upon by the
mtsdtrected commercial spirit of per
sons furnishing fresh beef respects
fully recommend that the matter be In
vcstlgated by experts making q guam"
tltatlve and qualitative chemical nnnly"
sis OF the several prcserVNtives sus'
pocted to be used by getting samples
OF beef furnished for export to Cuba
and Porto Rico.
II the question arises that II report
should have been made earlier by me,
| beg to Eay that I have cndcnvOred
with All my opportunities 70 FIRST Inform
myself By observation OF the conditions
above noted sufficiently to warrant my