The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-21
W AS BAD.
DR.. Daily Condemns
the Beef.
STANDS BY MILES.
Strong Testimony Before the
War Board.

Washington, Jan. 2O.-Maj W. H.
DAILY, chief surgeon with Gen. Miles,
whose field service stretched from
Tampa to Porto Rico and whose re-
port condemning the beef furnished the
expeditionary forces, created a sensa-
ton some weeks ago, made his long
awaited appearance as a witness be-
fore the war investigating committee
today.
Surgeon Days report was e strong
est in language of those submitted by
Gen. Miles in substantiation of his at
tack on the beef supplies.
On being sworn, the witness identi-
fed the report submitted as his own.
TENDER 81 to October 81. He was will
ing, he said, to stand by his report. 1t
was wholly voluntary and was not
called out by any request or in obedi-
ence to any circular or letter, so far as
he remembered. He had seen nothing
of an official circular, calling for re-
ports. AT Ponce, however, some time
lieved, he had communicated to Gen.
Miles some observations regarding
beef SUPPLIES. At Tampa, on shipboard,
he had noticed a quarter of beef hang
ing free in the sun on shipboard, and
he became interested in the experiment
of having fresh slaughtered beef placed
under such moist climatic conditions,
to see how long it could stand it. Il
observed" he said, that the flies, es-
11apia I1U thn hill fioc did No Of f.
did not light on it, or If they did, they
got away from it very quickly"
DR.. Daily said he should say the at
tempt to preserve the beef by chemicals
was not a success. That had been his
experience on the transport Panama
THAT beef on the Panama" he said
was foul" He thought the government
beef requirements of the contractors
were unreasonable. Everybody
knows" he said, that beef exposed t.
moisture and warmth for "a hours will
be very much tried"
He said most OF the beef carried by
the Panama was refrigerated. They haC
secured ton Of beef and for this they
at first had one and one half tons Of
ice, later increased to eleven and one.
half tons of ice. The beef, however, ha6
a decidedly peculiar odor "At Ponce,
he said, 81 observed the refrigerated
OCCA CdhSH HUN lLe sITdHSDOTtS. IL HAT
| a peculiar odor. / observed the exam.
nation of spoiled beef on one transport
1t was done by a butcher down in tht
hold. He thrust his arm in every direc.
ton into the putrid meat trying to fine
a solid piece.
This meat had the same peculiar
odor." He added that the Panama's
beef warranted his report that it's odol
was like that of a dead human body
injected with personalities.
He also depicted the strong odors
aboard the transport Chester.
On the Panama, coming over from
Ponce, he had made some tea or sour
from the refrigerated beef, the same
that had been condemned had filtered
1t and sealed it Theoretically in can
and when he reached his home at Pitts
burg had analysed it. From this he got
lightish brown residuum. This, he
said, disclosed the characteristics OF
borax and salicyllc acid
AT the afternoon session, DIR. DAILY
! underwent q severe cross-examination
especially on the subject Of the date
on which he had reported as to his sus-
| PIGEONS in regard to the beef and why
he had not reported sooner DR.. Daily
said he had never discussed with any
officer the subject of bad beef. In
stead of commenting on such matters
ne nau rather attempted TO allay dis
content with the meat
While at Chickamauga, he had found
meat which appeared to have been
! treated as indicated in his report. II
the government was supplied with
chemically prepared beef, he was asked
die he not think the government had
been fraudulently dealt with? DR.. Da-
ly replied that in his judgment, when
such beef had been supplied by con
tractors, it had not been with fraudu-
lent intent. The persons SUPPLYING
the beef probably considered the prep
aration used no more harmful thar
salt. He had not arrived at the CON
ciusions he did until after tests. In
stead of weakening his position, each
test made him less willing to recant
any statements he had made.
Dr Daiy was questioned closely in
regard to examination of an extract OF
peeI winch ne said he had made, and
when ne said resulted In a disclosure
or the characteristics of borax and sal,
lcyllc ACID. The beef used in making
the extract was of the "refrigerated'
variety.
DR.. DAILY said that beef decomposed
much more rapidly during the rainy
season than when the weather was
merely warm. The beard" referred
70 IN TINS investigation, he said, could
- o." NPSAA AiiNetl Dutre-
scent germs.
1t was another question when if came
to feeding the soldiers on meat in sucf
condition.
Or. DAILY explained the process OF
treating beef, chemically. The boraciC
acld or salicylic acid, he said, was sprin.
kled upon the meat in the shape Of
powder, and that which would not ad.
here was brushed off The meat was
then hung in a room where it was
Kept cold by means Of ammonia OF
salts. This was one means of preserv.
ing meat, but there were other meth.
ods. The substance placed on the sur
race of the meat penetrated its inner
tissues, and there chemical changes
took place.
In regard to his report on the cues.
ton of the meat furnished the army, he
was asked whether 1t had been for.
warded from army headquarters to any
person interested. He replied that In
his opinion the major general of the
army was the person most likely to be
interested.
DR.. DAILY was a Tampa about the
30th of May His suspicious in regard tc
the beef. he said, were aroused about
the 17th of June. He reported the fact
in August. DR.. DAILY denied that his
report stated that the beef CONTAINED
nOicOf1r or edaefpoxroJ ,rttotsA..Js