The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-05
ARMY BEEF TESTIMONY
MAJOR HARRISON PRAISES REFRIG-
GRATED AND CANNED MEAT,
But says Cattle killed In Cuba Could
Not BE Cooled and Caused a Great
Amount of Sickness.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.--Major Hopkins
military aid to the secretary of war to-day
testified before the war investigation COM
mission regarding sanitary conditions at the
camps at Tampa, Camp Thomas and Camp
A1ger. It was the old question of sinks.
drainage and camp police, and the testi-
mony of the witness was little different
from the preceding witnesses. He had not
approved of the condition at Camp Thomas,
and in accordance with his report an order
was issued on Aug. Is for its abandonment
He knew of no adverse report ever having
been made to the secretary of war on Camp
AIger If there were any complaints they
were merely individual. He knew Of no
complaint as to any camp that was not
promptly investigated.
What action was taken, if any?" he was
asked.
well, for one instance, I was appointed,
with Mr. Reed, to investigate the condition
of the hospitals. The surgeon general told
us to report daily and he would act at once
on our recommendations" This ended Major
Hopkinss testimony
Major Harrison, Ninth Volunteer Infan-
try, whose regiment was near New Orleans,
and is now in Santiago, was. called. Con-
corning commissary stores, he said those
in the United States are the best that could
be bought in the open market. The refrg-
Grated beef sent from this country, he said,
was excellent. IHe had had much experience
with refrigerated meat and he said that
while there was some disposition on the
part of the regimental cook to cavil al the
appearance of the meat, it was in reality
quite good. He explained that the sudden
change of temperature on removing the
meat from the refrigerator ships produced
what is known as beard, greenlSh
growth that had to be scraped off. When
this was DONE the meat beneath was per-
fectly good. 1t was served to the men with
excellent results and benefited the sick ma
terially.
was made to hoof cattle sent from Porto
Rico This beef Major Harrison killed him
self and personally superintendent its dress
ing and cooking. But II would not cool IN
that climate" he said, very emphaticauy-
1.-The meat never lost it's animal heat and
with its use our sickness increased 10 per
cRlt. In a company where our dead putre-
fled in six hours, you will easily understand
that meat killed and exposed to the atmoS-
pheric changes, with coagulated blood and
the attacks of flies will spoil much sooner
Our board of survey had no work to do eX-
cept cooking and burying this local killed
beef" OF the canned meat Major Harrl-
spoke with equal emphasis, saying that
it was fully as good as the refrigerator
beef; was we'll received by the men and
none of it had to be condemned.
Governor Beaver asked if refrigerating
plant was established there whether Cuban
beef could be killed on the ground ana rem
dered fit to eat.
Witness said this would not be desirable,
as the Cuban cattle, while fine looking,
furnished the coarsest and most stringy beef
he had ever seen.
Witness said he was thoroughly familiar
with the processes of refrigerating and
butchering meat, and he was willing to
state positively that no chemicals were used
in any of the beef that passed under his
observation. On the contrary, ne said there
were no chemical preparations that could be
used on the meat with advantage to the
lr1ac NnrftI IN nafV
before they could get it to the army. He
regarded it as highly improbable that any
thing of the sort had been attempted.
Recurring to the hOof-killed beef at SAINT
iago. witness said the surgeons in charge
attributed the 10 per cent. increase in in
testinal troubles to the use of fresh-killed
beef There was a propOrtionate decrease
in sickness when the regiment returned to
the refrigerated beef. Major Harrison said
he had no complaint to make as to the meat
supplies or attendance He considered the
whole supply system good.