The times., 1899-04-06
BEEF MADE SOLDIERS SICK.
DIR. Currie sub~tantiates Testimon,
Regnrtitng Iae of ChemicaIs.


ReEnrding Use of Chemicals.
DIR. Daniel A. Currie. Of EngleNcod. n.
j.. who served during the late war with
Spain as lieutenant colonel of the Second
New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. testified
before the Beef Court yesterday that he
had made chemical tests of so-called re-
frigerated beef issu-d TO the troops at Jack
sonyilie, Fla, and had found the meat sat
urated with saiicyIic and boric acid. He
was positive that a great deal CT the
sickness in the Seventh Army Corps had
been caused by the use of this meat
DR.. Currie stated to the court that he
had served with this regiment during tie
late war at Sea Girt and at Jacksonvi le
The general appearance of the meat was
not altogether ugly, though the externtl
parts of the beef was unnaturaliy pale,
while the internal parts were OF dark red,
and turned brown when cut with knife
or brought in contact with a iron pan or
other utensil. The meat did not decom-
pose readily 1t ''stOod up" very well ul-
der heat and exposure. but, however fresI
1t might be, 1t had curious and un-
pleasant oGor. 1t did not smell like meat.
Men were frequently made sick by eating
after spells of nausea. The meat that
would be emitted appeared not even to
have been partially digested. 1t came up
in the same chunks in which it was
swallowed" said the witness.
While at Jacksonville he was detailed TO
construct rife range for the Seventh
Corps. He said that he entered the ser
vice to fight, but falling in his ambition in
this regard. the next best thing he could
"A no.. Esxf.
to teach them how to use the arms tina;
were placed in their hands. He declared
that so per cent of the men in the corps
bad never shot q gun before their entrance
into the military service. He was given
command of detail of twelve men from
each OF the nine regiments AT Jacksonville
Their dinners were sent out to them while
they were at work on the range. He re-
called that on one occasion, after eating
refrigerated beef about two-thirds of the
men under his command were stricken sick
and were absent for duty on this account
In the Second New Jersey Regiment was
one company which. as n National Guards
man, he had commanded. He went to the
kitchen of this company and inspected the
meat. 1t was very pale and was more the
color of salmon than of beef The cooh
for this company, John Ruch, whose occu-
patton in civil life was that of butcher,
the same character.
| The witness testified that he cut off a
piece OF the beef and subjected it to the
test for salicylic acid. He found that this
chemical bad been used injected. he
! thought. Later he selected another piece
Of the refrigerated beef and tested it for
salicylic acid. but discovered none. He
then submitted it to the test for boric
acid and discovered the presence of this
chemical.
When asked TO explain what he meant by
! the term injected" he said that it was
| his opinion that the beef had either been
subjected to arterial injections. or that 1t
| had been soaked in a solution of the acids
| indicated
! He reported to the regimental surgeons
| that he thought the meat had been tam
pered with, and that. contrary to the opin-
| ion OF the medical officers, he thought that
the sickness in the command was not en-
! tirely attributable to the reckless use of
| watermelons, lemonade. and other refresh
ments. He was asked il he reported to the
| surgeons that he had discovered chemicals
| in the beef and he said no" He had
| previously made several recommendations
| to the officers of the medical department
which recommendations were received with
| bad grace He considered that if there was
| sickness in the command ii was the duty
of the medical officers TO treat it and to
! locate the reason for it. He did not make
n formal report on the matter to anybody.
He spoke to Colonel Hine, who was in
| command of the regiment. He did not tell
the colonel that he had discovered the
| deietericus chemicals, but he did tell him
| that he believed the beef was chemicalized.
| Colonel Hine responded that he was not
! interested in the matter. as he could digest
| boric acid or salicylic acid or anything
| else that came along.
Under cross examination 1t was sought TO
| elicit from the witness what suggested TO
| him that the acids named had been applied
| to the beef. He said that he was acquaint-
| ed with the use of these chemicals as meat
| preservaiives. About ten years ago he had
] bought refrigerated meat from butcher
/ at Engiewood. He found that it was pre-
served with boric acid About two months
ago at Englewood he had bought some Of
| Armours refrigerated beef and found that
| il had been treated with salicylic acid.
| He said that 1t was quite a common prac-
| tice to apply these chemicals to dressed
poultry.
| When examined as to his military service
| before the late war he said that he had
enlisted in the Second Regiment New Jer-
| sey National Guard about ten years ago as
a private He remained in the ranks ior
| about one month. when he was elected
! captain of his company. He held this rank
| for four years. when he became major
! in the same regiment. He remained i
| major for four years when he was pro-
| noted tc lieutenant colonel, which rank
he retained when the regiment was mus
| tered into the service Of the United States.
| 1t is likely that several of the men
! and cooks from the Second New Jersey
| will be called to testify before the court.
Another witness yesterday was Co K
| W. Huntington. United States Marine
| Corps, who commanded the battalion of
marines at Guantanamo 1t had been as
| serted several times that these men used
| canned roast beef ard it was for tie
| purpose of olinching this that Colonel
| Huntington was called to the witness chair
He stated that the meat component Of the
| rations of the marines at Guantanamo was
canned corned beef, refrigerat beef. salt
| pork, and bacon. They had 10 canned
| roast beef. He knew nothing about the
use Of that article OF food. The refriger-
ated beef was issued to the marines from
1 navy store ship. and it was transporte
Cnly half mile before it reached the men.
! a refrigerator had been built and his
command had an abundance OF ice There
| was no trouble in keeping the cold storage
| meat. He said that ne believed the health
| of his command was due TO abundant and
| suitable food and to the use of dist He'd
! water.
Prof Russell s Chittenden. chemist at
| Yale University. was next sworn. He was
| intrusted with tho work OF analyzinG speci-
| men cans OF roast beef submitted TO him by
the Court. He had critically examined four
| specimens packed by the Prairie State
| Packing Company Armour. the Wilson
! Packing Company, and Libbey. McNeill q
! Libhey. He had examined the meat in
/ these packages with view to determin-
! ,I,g