The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-23
knew they had never been applied to
fresh beef; they were used for export

knew they had never been applied to
fresh beef; they were used for export
pork.
Horace C, Gardner of Swift & CO. was
recalled and gave detailed list of the
various chemicals used in the different
departments of that establishment He
said that in the refrigerated beef de-
partment no chemicals Of any kind are
used and that he never knew of sal
icylic acid being used in the manufac
turing department and none in the
packing houses. except boraX and bor-
acic acid. which were used in packing
some goods for the foreign markets.
The witness stated that the refrigera-
tor beef sent to the army was shipped
in the usual way and that no chemicals
were used on it.
In reply to Colonel Davis the witness
said he saw what Is called "preserva-
line" and had analyzed it. 1t contain
ed bOraX and was used for preserving
vegetables. milk, cheese, butter. etc.
John Bierma, private in company f,
1st Illinois volunteers. afterward as
signed to a provisional battalion of
engineers for duty in Porto Rico, tes-
titled next. In all cases, he said. the
men in his battalion refused to eat
the canned roast beef unless absolutely
driven to it. They said it was unpal-
atable, their stomachs Tebelled against
it and they were attacked with vomit
ing after eating it. In Porto Rico the
men very seldom ate the canned beef
while their money lasted. The surgeon
told the men that the refrigerated beef
was unfit to eat and that he could not
do anything with his medicines as long
as they were compelled to eat it, he
also condemned the canned beef.
w. Clark Marshall said he had been
specialist in meat provisions since
1S4S, although he had not been in any
of the establishments in seven or eight
years.
please explain the nature and char
acter of your experience with refer
ence to canned meats. more particular
ly canned roast beef. so called" said
Major Lee. s
IT have investigated and experiment.
ed in the matter since 1S4S. The process
of canning meat to-day robs the meat
of all its nutrition, leaving nothing but
fiber. fat and gelatine in the can. l
consider it entirely unfit for human
food. The government chemist de-
scribes it as a mass of insoluble mat
ter This insoluble matter would come
under the head Of experiments in all
colleges, known to all scientists, to
show that animals fed with it will
starve to death. Canned corned
beef
Colonel Davis: Il object to any tes-
timony from this witness which does
not relate strictly to the objects of in
quiry.'
Major Lee: "I' believe that at no
time the questions have gone outside
the inquiry. l wish the witness. of
course, to keep within bounds
In reply to Major Lee the witness said
he knew where OMalley's slaughter
house used to be located. He also
knew of herd of so or 40 condemned
cattle being driven there for slaughter
He saw some of these cattle the next
day in city market. He knew of the
carcasses being kafterward taken to a
canning establishment. He would not
give the name of the concern unless the
firm denied it. The cattle had pleuro-
pneumonia. This occurred Is months
before DR.. Devoe took charge of the
bureau of animal industry at the stock
yards.
How long will canned roast beef
keep"
IF properly canned, it will keep for
90 years"
The witness stated that the present
process robbed the meat of its nutri-
ton and the sterilizing feature of it
generated a gas which tainted the
meat.
rs fresh beef prior to or during ship
UltHtS uiISctiN VI tledleu Will
any chemicals"
"a man would be a fool if he did not
treat it chemically, because meat go
ing from here TO London could not be
sent there under the ordinary tempera-
ture of an ice house without having,
on its arrival. a deposit of atmospheric
germs and the meat would be unstable
in London"
Witness did not think there was any
harm, in so treating beef if it were done
intelligently.
Capt. r. P. Wainwright of the list
United States cavalry said that in Cuba
there was no complaint by his men
about the so-called canned roast beef.
1t was generally eaten by them. There
was general dissatisfaction, however,
with it, on account of its unpalatable-
ness.
The last witness examined in Chi
cago was Lewis H. Wilson. who served
with the 7th volunteer signal corps in
Porto Rico. He stated that on occa-
sons the men complained of the canned
roast beef as nauseating. unpalatabla
and entirely unfit to eat. No more than
10 per cent of that issued to his COM
pany was consumed.
The members of the court left for
the East tonight and will meet in
New York at II o'clock Saturday morn
ing.