Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-13
dition Of roads and lack of transportation
prevented prompt reissue
REFRIGERATED REEF

REFRIGERATED BEEF.
80. rms commission was organized the
a4th day Of September last Up to the
sssl day Of December its members had
taken testimony in seventeen different
towns and cities and nine camps. 1t had
also received many hundred letters, COM
muIncations and newspaper clippings
from persons living in all parts of the
country. Examination of numerous Off
GERS and enlisted men had been made as
10 the quality and condition of the meat
some exceptions, showed that the refrig-
Grated beef issued was pure, sound and
wholesome.
ION the a1st day of December last Ma
jor General Nelson A. Miles, upon the
written request of the president of this
commission, appeared before it He re-
had been except one, who affirmed, stat
ing that he would make his statements
without being sworn, and was responsible
for what he said. He proceeded and for
the first time in the history of this in
Vestgation the allegation was made that
the refrigerated beef issued to the troops
had been chemically treated;
Gen. Miles said:
There was sent TO Porto Rico 3s7 tons
OF what is known as so-called refrigerated
beef. which you might call enbalmed
beef
He proceeded to read a communication
from Dr. " II. DAILY, major and chief sur
STAN bearing date of September u, 1898,
wherein DR.. DAILY stated that:
In the several inspections l made in
the various camps and troop ships at
Tampa. Jacksonville, Chickamauga and
Porto Rico. found the fresh beef 10 be
app bdgg preserved with , secret ehemi3
which also believe to be detrimental to
the health of the troops
Although DR.. DAILY swears that he in
formed en- Miles aGbout the first of Aug
q a he
irlgerated beef was chemically treated.
1t does not appear that the general in
formed You or the War Department that
an officer of his staff had made this dis
covery, nor does it appear that he at the
time ordered any of the officers under
mss. command to probe TO the bottom n
alieegauon (which If true, concerned the
States.
In his report DR.. Daily does not make
the all important staement thae he had
already chemically analysed any meat al
tnough he suggests that such analysis
should be made. He does state that in the
several inspections made by him at Tam
pa, Jacksonville, Chickamauga and Porto
Rico he found the fresh beef TO be APP
parently preserved with secret chemicals
he says that at Ponce the beef he exam
ing apparently preserved by injected
For mccths, as it appears. DIR. Daily
concealed the knowledge of the commits
charge, whom as an officer and a physi-
clan, ne was bound to protect
In view of the facts above set forth
the commission is of the opinion that no
refrigerated beef furnished by contractors
ana issued to the troops during the war
with Spain was subjected to or treated
with any chemicals by the contractors or
those in their employ"
CANNED MEATS.
I'm considering questions concerning
canned meats, it is not the duty of thS
commission to inquire into the charac-
ter, kind or condition of al the canned
meats that may be in use in this country.
Our specific duty is to give an opinion as
to the quality of those furnished the SOL
dlerS during the recent war with Spain.
There has been neither allegation nor
proof before US that boric or salicylic
or any other acid, has been used in the
canned meats furnished to the troops, but
such meats have nevertheless been great
~ criticized and they have for that reason
been testd by us and have been analysed
under our direction and we have taken a
great deal of testimony as to the mode of
their preparation.
The work of the signal corps Is highly
The report closes thus:
In concluding its laborS, it is with
pleasure that the commission reports that
the haste with which
the nation entered upon the war with
Spain, the resulting and almost inevitable
in bureau and camp the many
of arming. assembling and
large bodies of hitherto UNI
trained men, the carrying on of active OPP
eratlonS in two hemiSpheres, the people
of the United States should ever be proud
of Its soldiers, who, cooperating with it's
end to Spanish colonial power, enfran-
chised oppressed people, and taught the
world at large the strength and the nobil-
ity of a great republic"