Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-22
DOES NOT THINK CANNED "ROAsT-
BEEF 4 GOOD RATION.
SOME FAULT IN PREPARATION
HE BELIEVES REAL ROAST BEEF
WOULD BE SATISFACTORY.
Thinks That One OF the Meat Supplies
of the Army should BE Dried
~Becf-Court Of Inquiry to
TO to- New York
Tonight.

CHICAGO. March 2l.-The government
court Of inquiry tonight examined two
witnesses with reference to the beef ques-
tion-Dr. Nicholas Sem and Lieutenant
Colonel \. w. Corliss. DIR. Sem entirely
disapproved of canned roast beef as an
army ration for any length of time. ard
Colonel Corliss told Of the soldiers dislike
of it. The court will hold an all day session
Tomorrow. expecting to leave for New
York tomorrow evening or Thursday
morning. The remaining witnesses will be
those suggested Icy Major Lee in behalf Of
Major General Miles.
DR.. Nicholas Sem, of Chicago. who
served in Cuba and Porto Rico. testified
that the troops in Cuba lived largely on
canned roast beef and bacon. He had every
reason to believe that the canned beef was
not roasted. but boiled. II was tasteless
and certainly appeared to lack nutritious
qualities. as was apparent from the condi-
ton of the men who returned from Cuba
10 M~ontauk-mer who had never been i'll
but We're greatly emaciated. He believed
that the meat was o~verdore-that there
was some fault in the process of prepara-
tion-that the process had not been per-
fected. The bacon was of good quality.
He could say nothing about refrigerator
beef because he did not see any of it in
Cuba or Porto Rico. He made no formal
inspection of the canned roast beef. but
had eaten some of it and his statements
were based on his own experiences. The
meat was evidently good meat-was of good
quality. but, as stated before, was not
properly preparedness overlooked in boil
ing.
He thought one of the meat supplies Of
the future for the army should be dried
beef. Men could be fed once or twice a.
week on canned roast beef without i'll eff
feet On their health. but as a daily ration
for any length of time he would not con-
slider it n safe or advisable ration. When
the packers learned how to make real roast
beef, he thought it would be an excellent
thing. but not as an exclusive diet. The
canned roast beef was used very extern
sively in Cuba. but the ration in Porto
Rico was very much better-seemed to be
better prepared.
In reply TO General Davis. the witness
stated that the meat as prepared by the
packers, according to the testimony given,
would not lose much of its nutrition on ac-
count of being boiled In the cans. He saw
no evidence of the use of chemicals in the
canned roast beef. He had heard OF cases
of ptomaine poisoning, but did not see
any. Ptomaines would not develop if the
meat was thoroughly sterilized and prop
erly sealed. When opened the meat should
Keep tWenty-IOur hours. II WOuiu not De
safe to eat 1t after that time.
In answer to questions of Colonel Giles
pie. the witness stated that he really could
not say whether the fresh meat he ate in
Porto Rico was refrigerator meat or Ea-
tive. He thought it was the latter. The
meat was wholesome and palatable.
General A. W. Corliss. who was attached
to the Seventh infantry. in Cuba, testi-
fed that he was shot on the LIST of July
and knew nothing of conditions after that.
up to that time" he said. we got a
good deal of canned corned beef and
canned roast beef; also bacon In small auaI-
titles. Complaints We're received about the
canned roast beef; it was dislike. very
much. The officers and men had the same
ration. We tried to eat the canned roast
beef and did eat 1t, but in order to do so
We had to mix it up with bareback and fry
it. We tried to eat it plain. but could not:
1t made us sick; gave us bowel trouble
Major Lee did not CrOSs-eXamine the
witness. and the court had no questions to
ask.
The court adjourned until 10 o'clock to-
morrow morning.