The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-05
GOOD WITNESS FOR NILES.
On. DAILY SAYS HE - SURE BEEF
WAS ENBALMED.
From Porto Rico He Naxes .
Chemical Analysis, which shows
the Cndoubted Presence Of AeiAa.

WASHINGTON. April 4-Dr william. II
Daily was the firss witness before tae beef
inquiry court today He was MEDICAL
member os Gen. Miles stan in Porto Rico,
. and had previously testified before the
court. and was recalled 10 complete MS
testimony then begun. After relating the
extent OF his service with Gen Niles. DR..
DAILY stated in response 10 questions from
Major Lee that he had been made prest-
dent az various medical societies % the
United States and member OF the Ter
eign societies in recognition % scientific
Investigations by himself and witAens any
asking On his part.
DIR. Days testimony dealt on this oeea-
sion. as on his 4rst appearance. especially
with the beef supplied 10 the army. he
had, he said. made sufficient observations
to warrant hin, In submitting an official
report and after that tine he had made
an analysis which had confirmed his
suspicious 10 the meat
His first observations had been made on
a transport at Tampa before the sailing
of the expedition 10 Santiago.
DIR. DAILY detailed the particulars OF the
trip north on the transport Panama last
September. which was in his charge. He
took occasion to pay his respects TO the
war commission before which he had APP
reared. He said the commission had given
OF the beef on the Panama was due To
want of ice This was contrary TO his
testimony, an dthe truth could easily have
been ascertained. As n matter OF fact.
the Panama had an excellent refrigerator.
and IL carried ten tons of ice tn one az
beef. He also referred to the criticism IN
the war commission OF his Of the ex-
preston in his report tina, the smell about
the beef was like the odor OF boracie acid.
1T is" he said las difiicult TO say what
smell is like as ii Is for an artist TO
paint a dying groan. II the phrase was
offensive" ne added. II might have used
/ the language OF the soldiers. some OF
whom said IL smelt like the devil. while
| others compared 1t to a bouquet of cess
| pools"
! DIR. Daily said he had since made expert
/ ments upon beef subject TO treatment by
| boracic acid. and had found It gave forth
about foul a smell as could well be
/ imagined
/ Maj. Lee then read various reports made
+ by DIR. DAILY. concerning Official inspections
/ OF the beef at the camps at Jacksonville,
! Lexington, Chickamauga~ All these stated
/ that the meat used generally looked Will.
( but that there was a universal complaint
/ OF Its smelling badly. He had found The
fresh beef to be apparently preserved BY
/ the Injection OF some chemical, which de-
/ stroyed its natural flavor. and which must
| OF necessity have been injurious 10 the
! health ~ those eating it. Ii was II MS
mind impossible 10 preserve the meat
! without the use OF acid. and apparently
/ the meat had been preserved By the IN
! lection OF chemicals TO aid the work of de
/ fectiye cold storage.
| In one case he had found the odor sim
| liar to that OF a dead human body and on
| another speaking OF the odor. he said: ut
/ was unnatural. mawkish. sickly, like that
I n. n
I had injected his emhalming preservafive."
/ He was satisfied that the beef had been
/ chemically prepared--that II had been en-
| balmed In fact. After his reports had
| gone In. in order to satisfy his own mind
| he made chemical analysis of the re-
| sidum OF the beef used in the campaign
ard had found distinct evidences Of bo-
| racic and saiyciic acids
He then referred again to the report O.
the war commission in which reference
had been made To the use Of these drugs
! the intImation being that a trace of them
would not be Injurious.
Replying. DR.. DAILY asserted that the
chemicals We're detrimental TO health and
they could only be used a; the peril OF
those taking them
In n ross-examination by Col Davis DR.
Daily said he had heard nothing when ne
had made HIS first observation at Tampa
In response 10 Col Weston's remark 10 the
effect that any chemical had been used on
the beef which the colonel had hung Up
In the sun He said ne had preserved the
specimen from the beef on the Panama.
and locked IL up In a bottle in a portman
teau He had given the specimen no treat
menf excep, TO remove the rat by filtering
through cotton.
Asked IL he was stlll a. much convinced
as when he made his report OF the quality
/ Of the beef. he said
II am stronger In my convictions than
/ I ever was from the unsolicited evidence
, that has come TO NE since the report was
made"
Following il the text OF Gen. M.les
! proposition for supplying new witnesses:
! II have the honor 10 enclose list Of
! witnesses all of whom VIII give material
and pertineut testimony IN the matter now
{ being inquired into. and 70 the end that
the whole truth may be arrived at. | re
spec:fully hut urgently request thai these
witnesses he called and examined In the
order In which their names appear. or II
1. Is found Impossible TO secure their pres
ence that their testimony be onfaaned ny
other usual methods
"A. FAR as IL can now be determ ned. Ia
! view OF she facts that have already been
presses MED and will be soon presented. II s
MOI that any additional testimony VIII be
( reaiirei: 7 reserve. however, the privilege
/ Of adding 20 the above mentioned list such
] OTHER witnesses as may Ne necessary here
after in case OF rev Developments.
! NELSON 4. MILES.
| Gen Mics proposition flf not ine'use
| ne arcep.ance OF the reports Of the ofYt-
| GERS as testimony. bat the suggestion was
made by Mai Lee tn his behalf.