The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-16
Canned Roast Beef Also vfgorously
Condemned by Surgeon shaw, OF
the Third Illinois Volunteers.
PT0MAINES in THE MEAT
DEVELOPED SOON AFTER THE CANS
WERE OPENED FOR USE.
Much Sickness Among the Troops Due
to Poisoning, Ii IL Alleged-Court
OF Inquiry Gone TO Omaha.


called before the army beef court Of inquiry
| to-day proved to be sensational. He was an
officer Of the regular army. First heutenaI
NJ. +. Davis OF the First Cavalry. called at
the request of Major Lee, the representa-
tive of General Miles. Lieutenant Davis
| testified that in Cuba one-half the canned
roast beef issued TO the soldiers was thrown
away because 1t was unfit to eat He testi-
fled that he had opened one can himself and
found maggots In IL.
Major Lee asked: How did the maggots
get in there?'
"Tf we're canned in there the witness
| repli
CO Davs-Are you aware that In the
pro II canning this meat undergoes such
an l..tense heat that no animal life could
survive in It?
"I don't mean to say they were alive:
| they were dead"
The army board left for Omaha tonight.
Inspection OF the stockyards will be made at
Omaha and Kansas City and at the latter
city some evidence will be taken. The in
tention OF the court is TO return to Chicago
By next Tuesday and proceed with the ex-
animation OF witnesses here. The evidence
brought forth to-day was largely cumula-
| tive in its nature. mainly with reference to
| the condition of canned and refrigerated
beef when issued TO the troops on ship
board and in Cuba and its effect upon the
soldiers.
A SURGEONS TESTIMONY.
DR.. John b. Shaw. of Joliet. ILL.,. surgeoff
of the Third Illinois Volunteers. was the first
| witness to-day. He testified that on the
voyage from Newport News to Porto Rico
| canned roast beef was issued and there was
a great deal of complaint about 1t. II was
| stringy, pulpy and nauseating and did noe
| seem to nourish the men. Much diarrhoea
| followed the use OF IL. The witness at
| tributed the sickness TO ptomaine poison
| ing. He believed ptomaines would develop
| in the hot sun in five six minutes after a
| can was opened IL the meat were property
sterilized ptomaines would not develop.
While in Porto Rico. twenty-five miles from
| Ponce, the matter of rations was taken out
| OF the regiments hands TO a great extent.
| General Grant seemed 10 know more about it
| than anybody else The witness took no
particular interest in them because Of the
action of General Grant.
He cannot violate the law" said mem-
| her of the court.
"He did," said the witness
Ibid he issue orders?"
"He issued whatever he saw ft."
1.-The law requires the surgeon 10 supervise
4 the COOKING OF ll1I WHICH IL ErNtu. Dt0
| you interest yourself to ascertain what was
| being issued to the enlisted men?''
"We saw what was issued and took IL be-
cause we could not get anything else. We
had canned roast beef nearly all the while
| and the men refused to eat il. 1t was ordered
| condemned and we buried a lot OF II. One
| II the men said IL we did not bury II 10
would bury US. board Of survey was
| ordered but / never heard anything more
about it, As to the refrigerator beef very
| little of il was used, as at least three
| quarters of IL would have to be cut of. do
| not think any chemicals had been used on
| the meat 1t was simply spoiled. The
| meat had undoubtedly been acted upon by
| the heat, which had softened IL. The fat
and grease and gelatine had all intermingled
| with the fibre"
MADE THE MEN SICK.
Under cross-examination Dr. Shaw told
| about being called out one night TO loob
after the men of Company A, who were re-
ported to have been poisoned by eating
canned roast beef. He said they vomited
| fearfully and II seemed that hypodernic In
| jections Of morphine would hardly relieve
| the pain. They were sick for sone days
afterwards with a great deal OF diarrohea
and intestinal trouble.
when the men ceased eating the canned
! roast beef was there any Improvement
asked Major Lee
eyes: the canned roast beef generally
gave them diarrhoea and gastro-enteritis."
did you, in any official way. recommend
| its discontinuance?"
Yes sir; TO my immediate commander"
"Did the commissary come around and
| find out how these things were?
"He came several times and told US ~ was
| all right 1 think it was Captain Piper. He
tcid us it was all right and We would have
TO eat IT, Sometimes substituted what
they cali bacon. but a great deal OF that
had maggots in II and had 10 be condemned
IL we had depended on the army rations the
troops would have starved 10 death. They
spent all the money they got to buy things
TO eat, either at the commissary store or
in the city.
..wha, was the brand on this canned roass
beef?'
II think 1t was Libby. Mcneil & Libby:
am not sure. / tried 10 eat some OF Il. but (
could not: Il was absolutely revolving"
when the beef eaten from cans. did
you order it emptied out OF the can imme-
diately?"
I'VE tried 10 have II served Immediately.
but under that intense heat putrefaction
would set in almost as soon as the can was
opened. think ptomaines were ceseloped
almost Immediately after she opening OF The
cans
ITO what do you attribute the bad conss-
ton OF the bread?'
'I think it was the bakers Themselves