Evening star., 1899-04-13

He found no objection to the canning pro-
cess in any of the places visited, which
| included Armour & Co., Libby, McNein &
Libby. the Hammond Co.. the Cudahy Co.,
the Armour Packing Co. of Kansas City,
| the Nelson Morris Co. and the Wilson
Packing Co. All the samples from these
firms, together with the cans sent him by
the court of inquiry, were found sound and
nutritious. DIR. Bigelow identified the re-
port as the one made by him to DIR. Wylie.
Col Davis produced also the letter book
used by Prof. Wylie, which contains a copy
of Dr. Bigelow's analyses of canned beef
for the war investigating commission This
he Identified as his work. under the direc-
tion of DR.. Wyhe, and Col. Davis then read
| it to the court Its details have bean here
tofore published in The Star. The main
point in 1t was the statement that there is
more nutriment in canned roast beef than
in fresh beef, as the former contains more
nitrogenous matter than the latter. and
that the canned article is a better diet for
soldiers than the fresh.
Mai. Lees Pointed Inquiry.
When Col. Davis concluded Major Lee
rose and emphatically stated that, while
he did not object to the introduction of
the latter report. he wanted to know the
attitude of the court. 1t appeared to him,
he said that the report concerned meat
furnished under the contract for the pres
ent year, and he could not see that the
COiCluSlOfS ana analyses therein are f5le-
want to the inquiry into last years beef.
He said that if the court is going into the
subject in a more extensive way than all
along he wished to be informed. so as to
be able to prepare himself accordingly. If
evidence before the other commission is to
be introduced in this way, then he would
ask equal privileges.
An executive session was ordered. and in
a few minutes the doors were reOpened and
the decision stated that Dr. Bigelow's report
to the war commission would not be ad-
nlitted.
Effect of BOric Acid.
The examination of DR.. Bigelow then
commenced. He stated that boric acid is
used in milk, sausage. hams and wines. 1t
is used to kill germs or sterilize them tenn
porarly.
He said the acid is odorless. Wines,
cider and tomato catsup are commonly pre-
served by it. If moist boric acid would be
tasteless. but usually it and salicylic acid
are bitter but odorlesS. He has been in
formed that butchers sometimes dust boric
acid on their meat. DIR. Bigelow exhibited
several samples of meat treated with these
two acids. and stated that the first effect
is to give the meat a pinkish yellow color
In a few days-two to four-however, it
regains its usual color. He had never. he
said, known the two acids to be used to-
gether as preservative. because in COM
bination they would make meat too bitter to
be disguised or digested.
1oHccTHlUS lIe use OF lOTIldiueISuG OF
forn1aIin. DIR. Bigelow stated that he has
known it to be used in milk, but not on
meat 1t is extracted from wood alcohol
and its odor and taste are pungent and ir-
ritating. 1t is a powerful preservative and
germicide.
Yesterday Afternoons Testimony.
Continuing his evidence yesterday after
noon. DR.. Rush T. Huidekoper of General
Brooke's staff, as chief medical officer In
Porto Rico. said he had inspected practi-
cally all of the troops in Porto Rico, look
ing into the kitchens and talking with the
cooks.
The refrigerator beef would keep only
from two to eight hours. He saw 1t often
and found that it soon decomposed the
surface. DIR. Huidekoper said it had never
occurred to him that the refrigerator beef
had been subjected to chemical treatment,
yet for fifteen years he had been aware
that chemicals had been used both in the
United States and in Europe in preserving
the surface of fresh meats, and that the
use of such preparations was sanctioned
| by foreign governments. He knew that
boracic acid. saltpeter and in some cases
| iuid preparations were used.
Thought 1t Was Boiled Reef.
DIR. Huidekoper said that he thought the
| canned roast beef had only been boiled be-
| fore being put up and beef extract made
| from it. and said he had expressed sur
| risk their regulations on such a product.
! If the grade were good, he thought, canned
| beef would be a useful part of the ration
| for the army.
| In reply to Major Lee he said that for
| maiin had been found to be good preser-
| vative in the dissecting room, and he sup
| posed it would serve the same purpose in
| preserving beef.
Beef Thrown Overheard.
| Captain William 3. Williams, who was
| quartermaster on the transport Panama
| conveying cOnvalescents from Porto Rico
| to the north, said it had been necessary to
| throw overheard all the refrigerator beef
! about 4,o6 pounds-two days out from
| Ponce. The beef had been loaded into the
| ice box at Ponce when the box was warm
| and when only one and one-half tons of
| ice could be secured for it. The next day
| eight tons of ice Were obtained. It did
| not, however prove sufficient to keep the
| meat. and the odor became so distressing
| that 1t was necessary to order survey and
| have the refrigerator beef disposed OF. The
| canned beef, amounting to 900 cans, also
| spoiled and had to be condemned. This
| vas the trip referred to by DR.. Daily in his
! testimony. He was in command of the eX-
| pcdition.
| Captain Williams also stated that Gen
| eraI Miles had given orders that the YES
| sci should be supplied with Ice at the start,
| but that as the capacity of the Ponce ice
] manufacturers was only ABOUT three tons
| day this quantity could not be obtained
| then.
| Looked Like Human Remains
| He said he knew that DR.. DAILY examined
| the beef very carefully. and that the latter
| had made notes, but if he had any sus-
| picions that the meat had been chemically
| treated he had not mentioned the fact. He
, had however, pronounced the meat bad,
| and had called attention to it's discolora-
| tion, slime and mold. Captain Williams
! had observed the door.
| Asked to describe 1t he said it was very
| much like that of bodies which he had
| seen in the dissecting room of his grand
/ father. who was a physician. Captain Will
| lams expressed the opinion that fresh beef
| would not keep more than ten hours in
! Cuba Porto Rico.
| Before adjournment for the day Major
| Lee said that he would today submit the
| names of several more witnesses whom ne
would ask to have called and the reports
| OF about 2OD more army officers which he
! would ask to have received as testimony.
HIS SECOND TRIAL.