Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-01-26
CANNED MEAT INDICATED.
Report OF the Department. of Agriculture
Chemist the Wholesomeness of
Meat Furnished the Army.


Washington, Jan. 23.-Chemist WI
ley, of the department of agriculture,
has reported to Secretary Wilson that
an examination of samples of canned
ket and from the war department to
determine the presence of any chem
zeal preservatives, failed to disclose
any traces of borax. boric acid,
sulphites, sulphurous acid, salicylic or
benzoic acid. The presence of salt
peter was confirmed in all the sam
Piles of corned beef and so-called
luncheon beef, but no trace of it was
discovered in the roast beef, though
common salt was present to a consid-
cradle extent.
rhe Test Made Under Orders of Secretary
Wilson
The test was made under an order of
Secretary Wilson, and Is samples were
inspected, IL purchased in the open
market and two obtained from the war
department. OF the former, eight,
from five different packing houses,
were corned beef; two packed by the
Armour Canning Co., of Chicago, and
two by the Armour Packing Co., of
Kansas City, were luncheon beef and
the other sample roast beef. The re-
port says:
In Excellent Preservation.
1.-THE contents of the cans were In
excellent preservation, and the sur
faces of all the cans were markedly
concave, showing that no decomposi-
ton had begun. This was also indi-
Gated by the fact that when the cans
were opened there was an apprecia-
BILE influx of air; while in the presence
of even incipient decomposition, the
surfaces of the cans are usually
slightly convex, and on opening, an
outflow of air may always be noticed.
What Sometimes Appears in Canned Meats.
s'In some cans of preserved meat
tendencies have been shown to the de-
velopments of class of bodies known
as ptomaines, poisonous alka1oidal
bodies resulting from the decay and
change of heterogeneous materials in the
flesh. These ptomaines, of course, are
not developed in perfectly sterilized
packages, but they develop in those
which are imperfectly sterilized OF
may develop in sterilized packages
which are opened, but not eaten for
some time after exposure to the air.
It is, therefore, highly important that
the packages have been thoroughly
sterilized, that they are in good condi-
ton when opened, and that they are
consumed after being opened without
any great delay.
Salt and Saltpeter Present.
s'The quantitative examination of the
corned and luncheon beef showed that
the amount of saltpeter present was
very small, varying from one-ffth of
per cent Only in two cases did the
amount exceed nine-tenths of one per
cent. The approximate amount of
common salt used can be determined
very readily by the taste, and is nat
urally not greater than is, desired by
consumers, nor than would be added
in its preparation in private families.
The per cent. of salt present was not
determined by analysis.
cit is a matter of common informa-
ton that in the preparation of corned
beef, salt and salt-peter are always
used, whether it be in a large packing
house or in a private family.
No Lead or Tin Yet Discovered.
"Only a preliminary examination
has been made for lead and tin in the
contents of the cans. The method en-
ployed was not sufficiently delicate to
reveal mere traces, but if these metals
were present in sufficient quantity
for their exact estimation it would
indicate that fact. So TAR as can be de-
termined by chemical analysis, the
samples of meat examined were entire
1y appropriate for use as food.
''In many instances the tins inside
the cans were discolored, but careful
examination showed that
the surface of the tin in no instance
was eroded. The chemist division is
now conducting an examination of the
tin surfaces in order to determine the
amount of lead they may contain. The
results will be presented in a supple
mental report. The report concludes
as follows:
Not to he Preferred to Fresh Meats, But
Wholesome and Nutritious.
preserved foods, especially meats,
are not to be preferred to the fresh
except in those cases where it
is not possible for the articles in
fresh state to be supplied. In the sec
ond place it is highly important that
some competent supervising agent be
always present to inspect the pack
ages when they are opened in order to
detect any failure of complete sterili-
cation in their preparation, or any evil
dences of incipient or advanced decay
in their contents. When these pre-
cautions are observed there is no rea-
son to believe that the ingestion of
preserved meats as an article of food,
in proper quantities and in properly
balanced rations will in any way inter-
fere with the health or conduct of the
person consuming them"
Sailed for Havana.
Savannah, Ga, Jan. 23.-The United
States transport Manitoba sailed yes
terday for Havana. She had ON board