The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-02
TWO HOURS THE LIMIT
Refrigerated Beef Cannot Be
Kept Longer.
1T HAD A DEAD SMELL
Odor From the Hold of the Indiana Was
Enough to Knock Man Over.
Medical officers on the
Stand.

Washington, April 1.-The military
court to investigate the beef question
held only one session to-day, but new
ertheless examined an unusually large
number of witnesses, including several
army surgeons in charge of hospitals.
Their testimony was generally to the
effect that they had had no experience
with canned beef and, that so far as
they knew, the health of their patients
had not been affected by its use.
The court also heard the testimony
of Greenfield W. Simpson of Boston,
now engaged in furnishing beef on hoof
to troops at inland points in Cuba, who
stated that he had had several inter-
views with General Eagan prior to the
letting of bids for the troops at San
tiago and had urged the impossiility
of satisfactorily supplying beef to the
Cuban troops in any other way than
on the hoof on the block While Mr.
Simpson was undergoing examination
MAJOR Lee sought to draw out informa-
ton concerning his present contract.
nut was stopped by General Wade pres
ldent,, who said this was outside the
line embraced in the inquiry
Major Blair Z. Taylor, in charge of
inc hospital at Fort Mcpherson, said
the beef furnished the hospital was all
of excellent quality. Major Charles L.
Heissmann, who was in command of
the general hospital at Montauk Point
testified that ali intestinal troubles We're
attributed to malaria and not to food
The food question did not arise at all
Lieutenant Colonel Dalvin Dewitt. in
! n cToy1 h.. 49,
ress Monroe. said that very few intes-
tlnal diseases We're treated at that in
stitution and that those We're not at
trlbuted to insufficient or poor diet No
canned beef was used.
Major w. r. Hall, who was in control
of the general hospital at Key West.
had had no experience there with any
canned roast or refrigerated beef He
attributed the intestinal diseases gem
orally to the fact that the men had
been exposed to a tropical climate He
heard some complaint that the men
had been short of rations in Cuba and
they were much run down.
Major H. P. Durham told of condi-
tons at the Ponce general hospital of
which he was in charge. He had used
both refrigerated beef and canned roast
beef, as well as the native beef Tt
was necessary to use the native beet
the day it was killed to prevent spoil
ing and the refrigerator beef was pre-
ferred to the native article He had
found the canned beef satisfactory in
steWs and had heard no complaints con-
corning it. Typhoid was the principal
disease. but there were many cases of
dysentery and diarrhea. The latter he
attributed generally to the eating of the
native fruits and not the meats The
refrigerator beef used was taken from
the cargo of the Manitoba Some Of it
IN, he Tpt,, ,nl hut,
cred it good for food
Major George H. 'Torney who
had charge Of the hospital ship
Relief during the hostilities, said
that about 500 sick men had been trans
ported on the vessel and that he did not
attribute any of these cases to the use
of improper food or to the want of food.
He had never used canned roast beef
The refrigerator meat had been used
and had given entire satisfaction He
did not believe that any chemical pre-
servatives had been used on the beef,
but attributed the dscoloration on the
surface to the albumen and tissues of
the meat.
Major D. NJ. APPEL told of his expert
ence during the war at Mobile Miami
and New York. He had been in charge
OF the hospitals at the two first named
places. He said he heard many COM
plants from the men and the surgeons
concerning the meat supplied, especially
on the transports, and he thought it
probable that some intestinal troubles
had been thus caused. The surgeons
complained especially of the lack of
proper food for the sick. He had heard
IN New York that many of the men
mad refused to eat the canned beef, but
he had attributed the inanition mani
Tested to the sickness itself
Greenleaf Simpson of Boston, present
contractor for supplying beef n the
block in Cuba, and who is largely III
terested in live CATTLE stock yards and
refrigerator lines, related his experience
in connection with the letting # con-
tracts for supplying beef dlring the
Spanish war. He had been prepared to
put in a bid and previous t. the Goen-
ing of the bids had had d conference
acquaintance and who had wired for
him to come to Washington on he Sth
of June Mr.. Simpson said he had in
1897 visited Cuba as food commission
er for the United States for the rl.r-
pose of investigating the supply o. cat
tie in that country. lie hal infOrmt
the general that he considered it .m-
possible to use refrigerated beef in
cuba. explaining the conditions and
difficulties, and after the first cOnVersa-
ton General Eagan had asked aim to
remain over one day. The n@Xt lrCrn-
ing when he called the echeral had
told him that he must Dur2nase re- !
frigerated beef for Cuba but h. did
not indicate that This position was
taken at the instance of any superior
officer
He ISimpsOn) had not therefore put