The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-02
ARMY SURGEONS ON STAND
lost Of Them Had No Experience With
the Beef.
THE TESTIMONY OF Mr.. GREENLEAF
Present Contractor Said He Had Ex-
posed the Disadvantages OF the
Canned Product to Gen. Eagan-
Wade Shut OFF Questioning.

Washington, April 1.-The military court
to investigate the beef question held only
one session today, but nevertheless exam
ined large number of witnesses, including
several army surgeons in charge of hospl-
tails. Their testimony was generally TO the
effect that they had no experience with
canned beef and so far as they knew the
health of their patients had not been at
fected by its use.
The court also heard the testimony of
Mr.. Greenleaf and Mr.. Simpson, of Boston,
now engaged in furnishing beef on the hoof
to the troops at inland points in Cuba, who
stated that he had several interviews with
General Eagan prior to the letting of bids
for the troops at Santiago and had urged
the impossibility of satisfactorily supplying
beef to the Cuban troops in any other way
than on the hoof or on the block. While
Mr.. Simpson was undergoing examination
Major Lee sought to draw out information
concerning his present contract, but was
stopped by General Wade, president of the
commission, who said that this was out
side the line embraced in the inquiry.
The Testimony
Major Plaire E. Taylor, in charge of the
hospital at Fort Mcpherson, said the beef
furnished the hospital was all of excellent
quality. Major Chas. L. Hermann, VINO
was in command of the general hospital at
Montauk Point, testified that all intestinal
troubles there were attributable to mala-
rial and not to food. The food question did
not arise at all.
Lieutenant Calvin Dewitt, in charge of
the general hospital at Fortress Monroe,
said that very few intestinal diseases were
treated at that institution, and that those
We're not attributed to insufficient or poor
diet. Ne canned beef was used.
Major w. r. Hale who was in control of
the general hospital at Key West, had had
no experience there with either canned
roast or refrigerated beef He attributed
the intestinal diseases generally to the
fact that the men had been exposed to
tropical climate He had heard some com
plant that the men had been short of
rations in Cuba, and they were very much
run down.
Major II. p. Birmingham told of the con-
ditions at the Ponce general hospital, OF
which he was In charge. He had used
both refrigerated beef and canned roast
beef there, as well as the native beef. 1t
was necessary to use the native beef the
day it was killed to prevent spelling, and
the refrigerator beef was preferred to the
native article.
PaIatable in Stew
He had found the canned beef satisfac-
tory in stews, and had heard no complaint
concerning it. Typhoid was the principal
disease, but there were many cases of dys-
entary and diarrhoea The latter cases were
attributed generally to the eating of the
native fruits and not to the meats. All
told only about 120 cans of the beef had
been used. The refrigerated beef used was
taken from the cargo of the Manitoba
Some of it required to be trimmed, but he
considered it good food. Major Geo. H.
Torney, who had charge of the hospital
ship Relief during the hostilities, said that
about 500 sick men had been transported
on the vessel and that he did not attribute
any of these cases to the use of improper
food or to the want of food. He had never
used canned roast beef. The refrigerated
meat had been used and had given entire
satisfaction. He did not believe that any
chemical preservatives had been used on
the beef, but attributed the discolora ton
of the surface to the coagulation of the
albumen and tissues Of the meat.
Major D. NJ Apple told of his experience
during the ar at Mobile, Miami and in New
York. He had been in charge of the hos
pitfalls at the two first named places, and
of the distribution of the sick. He heard
many complaints from the men and the