The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-21
FLIES AVOIDED IT.
He Noticed indications Of Chemicals
in Some That He Ate,
MADE A CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
And Found Traces Of BoraX and Sali-
cyIic Acid-Did Not Think the
Embalming Was Done With
Fraudulent Int t-He
Thought the Government
Requirements Hard

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2o.-Major W. II.
DAILY. chief surgeon with General Miles
and whose held service stretches from
Tampa to Porto Rico and whose report
condemning the beef furnished the ex-
poditionary forces created a sensation
some weeks ago. made his long awaited
appearance as n witness before the War
Investigation Commission to-day
Surgeon Days report was the strong
est in language Of those submitted by
General Miles in substantiauon Of his
attack on tho beef supplies.
Or. DAILY has been too i'll to appear
heretofore lie was accompanied by
General Miles own stenographer despite
the presence Of the Commissions steno-
grapher
on being sworn, the witness identified
the report submitted as his own, changing
IT'S date. however from September sIst.
TO October 3lst. lie was willing, he said,
TO stand by his report IL was wholly
voluntary and was not called out by amy
request on in obedience 20 any circular or
letter SO far as he remembered. He had
heard nothing of an official circular CALI
ing for reports.
At Ponce. however some time between
August lst and 18th. he believed, he cons
municatcd TO General Miles some Ooser-
vations made at Tampa. lie had noticed
"a quarter OF beef hanging in the sun on
shipboard and he became interested in
the experiment Of having fresh slaughter
ed beef placed in such conditions to see
how it would stand. Observing he said,
that the flies especially bull flies did not
affect IT, did not allght on IL, or If they
did they got away from it very quickly.
he had cut on a piece OF that beef at
Tampa and cooked IL but 10 neither smelt
nor tasted natural. Later he helped the
men cOrrall some horses and subsequently
had trouble with his stomach, which he
attributed 20 the cxertion of corrallin=.
Then he noticed indications of chemical
process that brought back recollections
of chemical stun he had used TO preserve
elk in hunting expeditions in the Rocky
Mountains some years before. All that
day al Tampa and the next he had an
unpleasant taste in his mouth. In pre-
viOus hunting experiences he had analysed
the chemical preseryativc and had found
IT, 10 contain bOrdX and sliicylc acid.
These were % be used externally on the
elk hunt. but he mad rubbed il in the
raw Ntru anu di1u AAlIf'ttA it,
UNWHOLESOME INGREDIENTS.
Questioned as to these ingredients, he
said borax was not safe 20 be used in
connection with food nor for ordinary
medicinal purposes. while the salicylic
acid was most nauseous, loathsome and
disgusting almost destructive to diges-
ton
Dr. DAILY said he should say the at
tempt TO preserve the beef by chemicals
was not a success. That hal been his
experience on the transport Panama. tn
the beef carried by that snip he was
pretty sure chemicals were involved
That beef. he said was very foul. He
thought the government beef require
ments of the contractors were very un-
reasonable. Everybody knows he sald.
that beef exposed TO moisture and
warmth for twenty-f0ur hours 'Will be
very much tried.
Recurring TO the transport Panama
he said most of the beef it carried was
refrieerated They had secured a ton or
beef and for this they at first had one
and one half tons Of Ice. Later 1t IN
creased TO eleven and one half tons OF
ice The beef. however. had "a decliedy
peculiar odOr.
at Ponce" he went on to say, II oo-
served the refrigerated beef taken from
the transports. 1t had peculiar oaoT.
r observed the examination OF spolel
beef on one transport lt was done py
butcher down I'm the hold. lie thrust nus
arm I'm every direction into the putriu
meat irving to- find a solid piece. Ihls
meat had the same peculiar odoi.
lie added that the Panama beer War-
ranted his report that its odor was l,As ,,,
thot nj "a dead human body Injected win
rreservatiyes. He also deplcteu "a
strong odors aboard the transport
ter, d., 4., Witness
did not think his examination purely SUI,
neracial and without any suoslailia ..
knowledge. "No, / would not IKE 70 say
that" he replied.
HE ANALYSED 1T.
IN the Panama coming over rom
ro,ce he had made some tea or soup
froro he refrigerated beef, the same
tbot had been condemned had inferred u
and sealed IL hcrmetically ih D.ll' "IlN
when ne reached his home az fl1'sours
had analysed A. From ms ne mao mao b9l-
-, light brown residuum. Ihis. ne
said. disclosed the chardc1eil9''~a VI D0-
rax and salcylic acid.
M DaIv urged that he be permitted
70 demonstrate the test.
n connor objected. insisting that he
4
- he rowder the witness brought as
.Se residuum OF this beef with the COM
,oission 10 be examined by suvernmeai
Xvitness pleaded not 10 have the matter
,alEen out OF his hands, and a compro-
,,ise was affected by deciding that Or.
Da}v be present with the official chem
| ist ana II was arranged 20 have Profes-
sor Clark. OF the Geological Survey Of
| fee. examine the powder tomorrow
morning.
AT the afternoon session DR.. DAILY un-
| derwent a rather severe cross-examina-
! ton. especially on the date on which he
had reported as to his suspicious in re.
gard TO the beef and why he had not
| reported sooner.
DR.. DAILY said he had never discussed
with any officer on the subject OF bad
! beef Instead OF commenting on such
matters he had rather attempted 20 al
lay discomfort with the beef While at
| Chickamauga he had found meat which
appeared 20 have been treated as indi-
Gated in his report.
| II the government was supplied with
| chemically prepared beef. he was asked