The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-22
IT WAS SAL|CYL|C ACID
Daly's Statement Confirmed by
Professor Wielaski.
BORACIC ACID WAS FOUND
An Attempt to Break the Force of Daly's
Testimony Made in the Cross
Examination of Professor
Clarke.

Washington. Jan. 21.-Paymaster
Thomas H. Hicks. L. s. N, assistant
storekeeper at the New York navy
yard, was a witness before the war in
vestigation commission to- day. He tes-
titled that the timed roast beef was
satisfactory in the navy was palatable
and good, and that he saw no reason
why it should not be good emergency
ration for the army, as it was a regular
ration in the navy. Asked what pro-
portion of the ration in the navy the
timed roast beef forms, he said about
one-seyenth
He went on to say he had noticed, no
material difference in the timed roast
beef when taken 70 tropical climate.
He said can of the beef, if a hole
should penetrate it, would decay and
give out an offensive odor but it would
not hurt the other cans. A can. he
said, would last some hours after being
opened. He admitted that there is a
good deal Of beef that is not palatable.
Much of the beef used at his yard had
come from Libby, Mcneil & Libby,
which was generally satisfactory. but
last June he had occasion to reject some
they furnished, because it was dry and
unpalatable. He demonstrated the
method of opening the cans, and two
cans bought in open market at random
Were opened and their contents tasted
by the members of the commission.
Each member declared it had a good
flavor and taste.
Prof E. Wielaski, chemist of the Z.
S. geological survey, o-day reported to
the war Investigating commission that his
test of the powder furnished by Surgeon
DAILY as being a residue from boiling
down a portion Of the condemned beef
on the Panama, disclosed the presence
of both boracic and salicylic acid.
Professor Clarke took the witness
stand and was closely examined. Wit
ness said he could say nothing Of the
materials tested, nor could he state
the probable amount of these chemical
agents used that would be extracted in
making tea from the beef without more
material and longer time. Large guam
titles of such chemicals for preserva-
tves. however. he said. would be un-
necessary, and would be an expensive
waste. The boracic acid he said, i'm
parts no .odor whatever to meat The
salicylic acid, also, he said, was odor-
less, and he could not say whether it
forms any compounds with the flesh Of
cattle that would produce odor.
Would it not be possible" he was
asked, ''for meat kept for a time.
varying from one to twelve weeks in
cold storage, covered by cheese cloth,
would be affected by the substances in
the cheese cloth?"
Il should think so,' was the reply.
rs it possible to get both these agents
present?'
Yes. We found both in the materials
submitted, purporting to be meat ex-
tract
1T does not necessarily follow. them
suggested General Beaver, that the
product you examined came from beef
tea?"
No; did not inquire into it's origin
General Beaver read from Surgeon
Daly's report on the beef on the Pam
ANA procured at Ponce, saying some os
it tasted like decomposed boraeis
acid
Now" he asked "if there is any per-
ceptible taste in boracic acid, would It's
use in any quantity in meat impart
any such taste?"
Il should say not" answered the wit
ness.
Then we have disposed of that
commented General Beaver.
Witness said he knew of no such
thing as decomposed boracic acid and
that from a scientific point Of view rhe
expression was meaningless: that ho-
racic acid, in such quantities as likely
would be used. would leave no taste in
the mouth of an individual, as had been
testified to yesterday by Surgeon Daily
would the treatment of boracic or
| salicyclic acid make any difference in
the odor or stencil from decayed beef?"
interrupted Ex-Governor Woodbury.
THAT would take actual experiment"
was the reply; there might be some
slight product of putrefaction."
Asked as to the effect on the health of
using beef injected with the acid, wit
ness said it would be relatively harm
less, but that the use of salicyclic acid
would be different and was prohibited
by most European countries The borac,c
acid on meat furnished troops in his
opinion, would be of very little import
cyclic acid would be objectionable If
the meat We're kept "A hours after leav-
ing the refrigerator the chemicals might
retard putrefaction.
If the boracc acid We're used in the
meat, would it impart. as has been tes-
titled, a taste so bitter nauseous and
unpalatable as to make it unfit for
use?" witness was asked, and he re-
piled:
mo. sir"
Paymaster Henry G. Colbert of the
navy testified to large purchases of beef
for the navy. The purchases were from
the same firm which supplied the army.
He said the meat gave general satisfac-
tion and there were no complaints.
When asked if there were any evidences
of chemicals being used, he answered in
the negative.
For Government Construction.