The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-01

ana freight car aftersfrelSnI car un-
load carboys by the gross, and only an
expert could tell the difference in the
many kinds of acids
The Chappen Chemical company,
Twenty-frst street and Stewart avenue,
furnishes Sulphurous, nitric and muri-
attic acid to the packers. The firm de-
mics that it handles a pound of salicyHc
acid.
Each packing house in the stockyards
has its own chemist and assistants
Not one of these men dares open his
mouth to talk to any one on the sub
ject of meat personalities and chemical
action of food. These men get fair sal
aries and have been warned so often of
the danger of letting the public in on
packing house secrets that, in many
instances, they either decline to give
names or substitute fictitious ones.
INFECTED WITH A SYRINGE.
Daily visits to the stockyards for a week
ELECTED much information, but, with rev
became frightened when their name and
address were requested.
A German, who said he worked for a
packing company last summer, during the
time that firm was supplying government
other company, gave some fnforma ton re
garding the curing of beef before send
that the methods then used of injecting an
antiseptic fluid by means of a giant syr-
inge into the legs of beef and along the
bone are still in use. This man, who gave
his name, said:
Every packing house in the stock
yards now treats every quarter of beef
that is spoiled by dipping it into bath.
cept that, it is brine with few chemicals
of some kind. Then a man takes a big
near the end and drives it into the meat SO
that the. solution will get around the
In. this solution I understand that salt
t eyilic s ACID is used. large amount of
The reporter made. a tour of the, cold
storage beef. house, but was refused ad-
With Syringe i in his Hands as Gescribed
by the German, and he also had a bucket
containing liquids. He declined to an
swer any questions.
LIVE CATTLE ARE TREATED.
'Last spring. said q stockman, 81 saw
stuff into a dozen or more cattle in one
of the pens by means of a syringe. They
days. was told then that it was an
experiment with boracic and salicylic
treated would make better keeping beef.
I do not know whether the cattle were
I -f have seen Several experiments. but I
guess that will say no more, for will
get myself into trouble If do"
An authority on chemistry and chemical
action of foods, man who stands at the
head of his profession and who has wide
II consider meat or any other food treat
ed with salicyllic acid unfit for human
tive. which of late has come into extensive
am0ng KNOWN is one Fl tn9 an oS
featured only in two cities in the United
tateS-MtlWauke6 and st. Louis.
MADE FROM CARBOLIC ACID.
"The basis is coal tar. The .salicy1ic
acid now in general use is made direct
from, carbohc ACID by the Kobe process,
is the most harmful compound that could
be found to enter the human stomach with
vegetables, and keeping wine and cider
aged by law.
"Borax in small quantities may not be
considered harmful but when combined
harmful il may become. A man would
not have to take much beef cured in this
range the digestive organs, if not disable
them so badly as to make permanent
recovery doubtful.
II have been reading DR.. w. H. Days
testimony before the war inquiry commits
sion and am very glad. to see that at he is
cylic acid and other harmful compounds
n some OF the meat 4s sent as s9pp1 is,, 70
hold up their hands in horror If told that
they were eating meat eat treated 3,d with car
poison, and no mans stomach will stand
very much of either without giving him
How would it be with a steer treated
to infections OF either Poracic acid or sail
cylic acid for several days before slaugh-
1T would be pretty hard on the steer"
VERY EFFECTUAL IN BMBALMING.
would the action of the acid have the
effect Of 'embalming' the meat?"
DR.. e F. Murdoch, COL washington
boulevard, Chicago, who examined sew,
eral packages Of canned beef last lune and
pear before the war inquiry commission.
He has expressed himself as against the
use of Salicylfc acid a preventative.
Prof. John H. Long of the Northwestern
be eso M 50 ef 5S opnon
the salicylic acid is not safe article of
Attorney A. H. veeder. legal representa-
tive for Swift & Co. and Libby. Mcneil
& Libby, says regarding chemicals at the
G O0 "
around packing houses. Every particle
of material is utilized in some way and
and 1t was no sign of improper prepara-
ton of beef if chemicals happened to be
How about the man who claims to have
seen in use a process. for preserving beef?''
vas once yifh wiser , in tbs fr% TR{sh
his, device. They would not take it up,
and he now sees nothing but evil. For
patent but without Success. This may
account for his present charges"
THE ARMY BEEF CONTRACT.
At the letting of the now celebrated con-
eo to the n SqR Every e6n
cern Of any Importance. in the country
was represented in the list. The highest
ing house The lowest was that of G. F.
Swift & Co. at q cents pound delivered
Co. agreed to fit out at their own expense
such transports as the government might
give them for the purpose, and to put up
suitable refrigerating plants of the requis-
lite capacity in Cuba and Puerto Rico to
care for the beef as it was unloaded from
the ships.
Swift & Co. offer to give 100000 to pub
lie charities if any commission sent by
General Nelson A. Miles to investigate
their plants should find that chemicals
had been used for the preservation of their
products. Their. proposition went further
than that. Such a sum would be given
if 1t should be found that for dressed beef
beyond clean water and cold air
was used. For canned beef the challenge
was as broad.
FOR INVESTIGATORS NOW
The invita- ton to General Miles was
given through Major Fred A. Smith, chief