Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-23

agent in Chicago. was recalled II,
testified that he had submitted to tn,
court three SAMPLES !. of each of tn,
brands purchased by him for the gov
eminent during the Spanish war Thes.
We're taken from the surplus travel ra
tions of the Sd and 9th Illinois Regi.
ments and two of them had been tt
| Porto Rico and others to Tampa.
Lieut. Hedkin of the Sd Cavalry. ties.
tilted that the principal meat ration in
Cuban was refrigerated beef The
| complaint against 1t was that it was
| rotten.
Col. Davis asked the witness if he
had reason to believe or suspect that
| chemicals had been used in preserving
the refrigerated beef.
Witness replied: 1.-The night after
joined my troops. refrigerated beef APP
peared on the table in the form of
steak. Upon tasting l remarked that
it had peculiar taste. ! ate heartily
of 1t. That night | had diarrhoea
which developed into dysentery. and |
was unable to ascribe the disease to
any other cause.
What led you to ascribe the pecu-
llarity to personalities 2"
The fact that the meat was differ
ent from any that L had ever tasted
ana that it made me sick.
W. \. Robinson. travelling representa-
I'VE or the chemical firm of Charles
thzcr & Co.. New York, testified that he
nad formerly solicited orders and sold
chemicals to the packing trade. He sad
.nat ms firm sold to packing houses large
quantities of boric acid and other chem
lcals, but that so far as he knew such
chemicals We're never applied to fresh
neef, they were used for export pork.
horace {. Gardner of Swift L. Co. re-
cailed, gave list of the chemicals used
IN the departments of that establishment
tie said that in the refrigerated beef de-
partment no chemicals We're used and
used on the premises for any purpose.
Albert G. Manns. the chemist of Ar
mour ~ 20. testified that large number
OF chemicals We're used in the manufac-
turing department but none in the pack
ing department except boraX and borac.c
acid. which were used in packing some
goods for the foreign market. The wit
ness stated that no chemicals were used
on the refrigerated beef sent to the army
Witness said he had seen ."Preserva-
tine and also analysed it, Its main in
gredient was borax and il was used for
ter etc.
John Bierma. private, Co. f.. LIST His
OILS. afterwards assigned TO a provisional
battalion of engineers for duty in Porto
in his battalion refused to eat the canned
roast beef unless absolutely driven to it.
They said it was unpalatable. their stom-
achs rebelled against il and they were at
tackled with vomiting after eating it. The
surgeon told the men that the refriger-
ated beef was UNIT to eat and that he
could not do ANYTHING WITH his medicines
as long as they We're compelled to eat it.
He also condemned the canned beef.
w. Clark Marshall testified that he had
been a specialist In meat provisions since
IL. Il. rxf
canning roast meat fteprives it of all its
nutrition. leaving nothing out the fibre
fat and gelatine in the can. | consider ii
entirely unfit for human food. The gov
eminent chemist describes 1t as a mass of
insoluble matter. In the packing houses
this mass of insoluble matter would come
under the head of tankage and would be
used as fertilizer. There are thousands
of experiments in colleges known to all
scientists to show that animals fed with
il will starve to death Canned corn
beef"
Col Davis here objected 10 any testi-
mony from the witness which did not re-
late strictly 70 the objects Of the inquiry
In reply to Major Lee, the witness stated
that he knew where o Malley's slaughter
house used to be located. He also knew
of herd of 80 or 40 condemned cattle be-
ing driven there for slaughter. He saw
some of these cattle the next day in a
city market. He knew of the carcass
going afterwards to a canning establish,
ment. He would not give the name Of
the concern unless tffc 1iTIf1 ueHitu H. ne
cattle had pleuro-pneumonia. This oc-
CURED IS months before DIR. Devoe took
charge of the bureau OF animal Industry
at the stock yards.
How long will canned roast beef
keep go
III properly canned it viii keep for 20
years"
The witness stated that the present pro-
cess robbed the meat of its nutrition ana
the sterilizing feature of it generated d
gas which tainted the meat.
us fresh beef prior or during shipment
directly or indirectly treated with any
chemicals?"
"A man would be a fool If he did not
treat it chemically under ordinary refrig-
era ton, because meat going from mere 20
London could not be sent there under the
ordinary temperature of the ice house
without having on its arrival deposit OF
atmospheric germs and the meat would
be unsala bic in London.
Witness did not think there was any
harm in so treating beef if it were intel
ligenty done.
capt r. p. Wainwright. LIST L. $. CAY
airy. said that in Cuba. the canned roast
beef was generally eaten by his men.
There was general dissatisfaction. how
ever. with it on account or its unpalata-
hleness and non-appetizing qualities;
Lewis II. Wilson. who served with me
7ih Co of the Volunteer Signal Corps III
Porto Rico. testified that on all occasions
the men in his company complained OF
palatable and unfit to eat. Not more
than 10 per cent. of that issued to his
company was consumed.
The members of the court left Tor the
| East. tonight and will meet in New YORK,
Saturday.