The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-23


they came. An investigation with that re-
suit once led the health department to sup
press an establishment in the outskirts OF
Chicago"
William J. Griffin, sergeant Company F,
acting sergeant major of the second bat
TALON testified that at Jacksonville. the
tected; IL looked good. but when cut open II
had a peculiar order, a nauseOus strength.
On one occasion a French beef stew was
served and Immediately thereafter the en-
tire company was taken violently sick with
diarrhoea. For two weeks afterwards thir-
ty-five men out of the company was the
maximum fit for duty. Within six weeks
three died and. although the records showed
they died from fever. witness said he knew
that the sickness from this meat was what
killed them. This meat had to be brought
two miles and half from the point OF Is
sue. which took about half an hour. An in
vestigation was made of the beef which
made the company sick. but with what re-
suit witness could not say
DR.. John G.. Burne. of Chicago. who was
assistant surgeon of the Second Illinois Vol
unteers while the regiment was at jack
sonville, stated that he had condemned the
refrigerator beef several times before II left
the wagon which brought Ii. He had also
returned some of IL TO the cars, taking il
back in wagons and telling the agent of
Swift q Co. he could not use it. He had re-
fused the meat seven times In one month
on account of the bad odor and bad taste.
The men complained bitterly that they
could not eat il.
Colonel Davis-Had you occasion to believe
IL or suspect that the Swift refrigerated beef
had been chemically treated with view to
Its preservation"
HAD PECULIAR APPEARANCE.
THAT had never been suggested TO me.
but 1t occurred to me when 1 used 1t. The
only ground / had for that belief was the
difference in its taste and its appearance
after it had been removed from the car 1t
had a deadened. peculiar appearance and
wondered whether any chemicals had been
used
"Are you able to say that this appearance
was not due simply to advancing decom-
position?'
Il would not like TO say that. i don't be-
lieve / can define the vague idea that came
into my mind. / attributed considerable or
the sickness to tainted beef"
Col o. M Smith. army purchasing agent
in Chicago. was recalled. He testified that
he had submitted TO the court three samples
of each of the brands purchased by him for
the government during the Spanish war:
rations OF the Third and Sixth Illinois regi-
ments: two Of them had been TO Porto Rico
and the others TO Tampa. -
First Lieutenant Hedekin, or the Third
Cavalry, testified that the principal meat
ration In Cuba was refrigerator beef. The
complaint against it was that IL was rotten:
Colonel Davis asked the witness II he had
any reason TO believe or suspect that chemi-
calls had been used in preserving the re-
frigerated beef.
The night after joined my troop" the
witness replied, refrigerator beef appeared
on the table in the form of steak. That was
marked that it had a peculiar taste which
j had never noticed before In beef. ate
very heartily of IL. That night i had
diarrhoea. which developed shortly after
wards into dysentery. and was unable to
ascribe the disease to any other cause"
What led you to ascribe the popularity
to preservatives?'
THE fact that the meat was different
from any that l had ever tasted and that
IL made me sick.
What preservlti, re would have that eff
fect?
II do not know"
why attribute II then II n rrcservaiive?"
binary beef and its appearance was differ
ent''
What led you TO connect that with chem
ical preservatives?"
only il seemed to me a natural pro-
ceedng to endeavor to preserve the beef
under the circumstances.
Was that all you had TO base your opin-
ion on?'
Yes sir
CHEMICALS SOLD TO PACKERS.
W. A. Robinson. travelling representative
OF the chemical firm of Charles Pf1ser & Co,
New York. testified that he formerly had
solicited orders and sold chemicals to the
packing trade. The witness said it was
within his knowledge that his firm sells to
packing houses large quantities of boracic
acid and other chemicals. but that so far
as he knew such chemicals were never APP
piled to fresh beef; they were used for ex-
port pork.
Horace c. Gardiner, of Swift & Co., re-
called. gave a detailed list of the various
chemicals used in the different departments
or that establishment. He said that in the
refrigerated beef department no chemicals
of any kind used and that he never
knew of salicylic acid being used on the
premises for any purpose.
Albert c.. Manns the chemist of Armour
< Co., testified that a large number OF
chemicals were used In the manufacturing
department. but none in the packing house.
except borax and boracic acid, which were
used In packing some goods for the foreign
markets. The witness stated that the re-
frigerator beef sent to the army was ship
ped In the usual way and that no chemicals
were used on 1t.
In reply to Colonel Davis the witness said
he had seen what Is called ''preservaline'
and also analysed IT. Its main ingredient
was borax and ii was used for preserving
vegetables, milk. cheese, butter, etc
John Bierma, private in Company +. First
Illinois Volunteers. afterwards assigned to
a provisional battalion of engineers for duty
In Porto Rico. testified next. In all cases,
he said the men in his battalion refused 10
eat the canned roast beef unless absolutely
driven to ii. They said ii was unpalatable,
their stomachs rebelled against IL and they
were attacked with vomiting after eating 1t.
In Porto Rico the men very seldom ate
the canned beef while their money lasted.
The surgeon told the men that the refriger-
ated beef was unfit to eat and that he could
not do anything with his medicines as Ions
as they were compelled TO eat 1t: he also
condemned the canned beef.
W. Clark Marshall said he had been a
| specialist i'm meat provisions since 1878 al
slough he had not been in any of the estab-
| lishments in seven or eight years.
PLEASE explain the nature and character
| of your experience with reference TO canned
| meats. more particularly canned roast beef,
| so-called." said Major Lee
Il have investigated and experimental In
the matter since 1SiS The process of can
| ming meat to-day robs the meat OF all its
nutrition. leaving nothing but fiber. fat and
gelatine i'm the can. / consider il entirely
chemist describes IL as n mass of insoluble
matter. In the packing houses this matter
II insoluble matter would come under the
head of tankage and would be used as
/ fertilizer. There are thousands of expert
ments in all colleges. known to all scien-
| lists. to show that animals fed with ii will
starve to death. Canned corn beef"
| Colonel Davis-I object to any testimony
| from this witness which does not relate
| strictly TO the objects of the inquiry.
questions of the recorder have gone outsids
\ the subject of the inquiry. I wish the wit
| ness. of course. to keep within bounds.
| CONDEMNED CATTLE USED.
| In reply to. Major Lee. the witness stated
| house used to be located He also knew OF
| "a herd of thirty or forty condemned cattle
being driven there for slaughter. He saw
| some of these cattle the next day in a city
market He knew of the carcasses going
| afterwards to canning establishment He
would not give the name of the concern un
| less the firm denied 1t. The cattle had pleu
/ nt1ia afOhf anF