Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-22
BEARDED BEEF TEST.
Professor Clark Also Finds Boric
and Sa|icy|ic Acids
WITNESS CLOSELY EXAMINED
lie Says the Use Of DOric Acld Mould
Not Impart a EauSeOus Taste.
rrsTIIONY FROM THE NAVY.
A, Assistant Storekeeper Asserts
| Tint Timed Roast Beef Is Pai"-
.,,o md GOod-DOdge Commits
sjoners sample the Meat
TESTIMONY FROM THE NAVY.

Clark of the united Sld'e9
Survey. to-day reported to the war IN
vestigating Commission that his test OF
the powder furnished by Surgeon Day
os being the reslduum from the ooilhs !
down Of a portion of the condemned Deel
on the Panama, disclosed the presence VI
both boric and salicylic acids
Professor. Clark took the witness-stanu
and was closely examined. lie salo tla'
the nowder was Of a brownish coior'
while pure borax is white, but ala not
evnloin the difference. Witness said ne
could say nothing of the origin OF the
rooteriols tested. nor could he tell the
nrobable amount of the chemical agents
used that would be extracted IN h"Nl"5
ten from beef without more materld' an"
longer time. Large quantities ol S""
chemicals for personalities however Nv
said. would be unnecessary, ana "oulu "'
an evnensive waste. The boric acid' ne
said imparts no odor whatever 10 meat
rhe ealicvlic acid also he said, was door
Ices and he could not say whether II
forms any compound with the hesn u
cattle that would produce odor.
POSSIBLY TWAS CHEESE-ClOlH'
oyould it not be probable" he was
asked. that meat kept for a time vary
ire, from one to twelve weeks IN co,u
storooe covered by cheese-cloth' Wou'"
-, ooected bv substances in the cheese
cloth?"
- should think So" was the reply
rs it possible to get both these agents
present."
eyes sir: we found that in the materials
srh,pitted purporting to be meat eN-
aIt does not necessarily follow then,
,,,s,,seeted General Beaver, that the pr.
Jucf YOU examined came from peer t et'
no | did not inquire INTO us ollb.l'.
, General Beaver redu rom INA
~. renort ON the beef on the Panama
procured at Ponce, saying sui ac,d ,
TASTED like decOmposed DOTS "'Iu,
..N-o,v" he asked. III there Is nor any per
.-,,t,,ie taste In boric acid, would IT'S u.s.
~. quantity in meat impart any suci
'' 81 should say not" answered the VIII
+ ..Ther we have disposed Of that com
mented General Beaver.
% poRIC ACID TASTELESS.
10 Witness said he knew Of no such thih
n 49,, 5ocounosed boric acid, and that IIop
n q scientific point Of view the eXpresSio
e. -. r,eaningless: that bOric acld III Su,
r Quantities as would Likely o. useu "ou'
o Ieova no taste in the mouth Oh an Hiu'
,idual. as had been testilleu DE
II Daily 80 boric or sail
Il " o"IN make any difference
e 49, odor or stencil from decayed peer
q t't..r,,pted Ex-Governor Woodbury.
& "1'bot would take actual experiment
[. ~ renlv There might be som
p sliehtlv different product OF ..oi ',,
$, 4el,ed AS 10 the effect on health Oh uSln
beef Injected with the bore aclu' VIZ, A.,
said IL would be relatively hll mites >,
10 That the use Of salcyhc a'lu W.
Ia Inherent. and was promoileu ~ -
~ t,',rone,n countries. The use OF Dor
IT acid on meat furnished troopS' II,
m ION would be of very little linpOi '"iio
- rrn,n a health view, but the salcyhc acI
~ would be Objectionable. 10 coli
n Tho effect OF the preserYatlVes' nc S''
uos 10 make the meat Keep lohSel'
. ~ moot were kept twenty-tour houI
= oetar leaving the refrigerator, the cheh
n calls might retard putrefactlon. =,
1e 'If the boric acid were usea III y.
al meat. would it impart, as mas Deen u
IN tifed. a taste 50 bitter, nauesous, anu "
- nalatable as 10 make 1t unilt lot US
M witness was asked, and he Iepued' y
T. NAVAL TESTIMONY.
p,vm,sters Henry G. Colbert a
an ,rIor,~s n Hicks. United States na'
or 10th te.tifed. The former told OF lar
20. ,,,rchoses of beef ne had made Tor l
ne pa,,,, from the same firms which 81
les ,lieI tbe army. He said the meat ga
il neral satisfaction. When asked II III,
.es 80 any evidences of chemicals pei
At ,,,ad ne answered IN the negative.
TIiclls who is assistant storekeepeI
IN. New York navy-yard. tesliieu ~
=, the timed roast beef was satl9id0'
80 the navy. was palatable ana soou -
- ne saw no reason why II shoulo /
- he n good emergency ration lot w a. .
49, II was a re ular ration III 'he "'
r. vent on TO say he had notlceu
zoe rtaI difference in the Timed TO-
- ,yhap taken TO a trOpic climate
'es ia , can OF the beef. If Mole sho'
er- ID I'M II. would decay ana give
m ressrsive odor. but il would not III
ov- The other cans a can he said' "o'
ok last some hours after opening
Of us admitted that there Is soou
nat b.ef that is not palataDie. NUN "a o.
to heef used at his yard nad ON -,
ur- Libby. McNeill & lADpy' anu - bo ,
the liz satisfactory, but last June NV
IAliS 40 reject some furnished
T. - ~ Us dry and unpalataDle ch"r
the -, IL illustrated the method Of open
rye tbe cans. and two cans, bought III =, ~
Mas market AT random. were opened, en-
3 in contents tasteI by the menu. ~ .,
ted com,nission. Each member declared l.
arp good flavor and taste