The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-02
THE ARMY BEEF INQUIRY.
SURG CONS TESTIFY TO THE EXCEL
LESCE or REFRIGERi TED BEEF.

No Complaints R~ceiVed-The sickness of
the soldiers Attributed to the Climate
Of Cubn aud the Use of Improper Food.
W~AsHfNGToS. April Tho Court OF Inquiry
resumed this morning the examination OF
medical officers ~ 30 the food supply of the
troops with Gen. Skaters expedition to Cuba
and Gen. Miles's expedition to Porto Rico.
The court this morning received from the
War Department copies Of Col Roosevelt's re-
ports referred to Ivy him in his testimony be-
fore the court in New York. Two of these re.
ports have never been pGb shed being regi-
mental rcportI mnlu by Col. Roosevelt to Gen.
Wood while AZ the front in the early part OF
July. They deal only in part with the question
Of the food supply. aud these parts have been
marked for usa by the Court Of Inquiry.
Major II. X. TAYLOR. surgeon in charge OF the
hospital Mt Fort Mclherson. Georgia. was the
first witness. He testified that the refrigerated
beef furnished at the hospital was excellent.
Major Charles l.. Hoiamanu. surgeon in
charge Of the General Hp ,pitai at Montauk,
testified that out ot 10000 cases about Is or 20
per cent. were OF intestinal troubles. He at
tributed al diarrhpa to malaria and had not
heard the question OF diet raised.
Lieut.. Col. Calvin De Witt. who was in charge
OF the hospital at Fort Monroe. told the court
that he had received 1000 patients. There
were not many dvsentery cases. but he did not
hAhN - ~'sA"a ~ W WV
Major w. r. Hal. who had charge OF the
hospital at Key West, received a number Of
patients from Santiago. There were some
cases Of typhoid fever, which he attributed to
the men being in the tropics. He had heard
some complaint that the men from Cuba had
been on short rations.
Major H. P. Birmingham. surgeon at tho
General Hospital at Ponce. Porto Rico. said
| canned roast beef had been used at the hospi-
col In tho ;,r,, - haahos anl ALBANIA ro,l. AT
with potatoes and onions. 1t was fed in that
way to the patients and he never heard any
complaints about it in that way. Refrigerated
beef was also used at the hospital and gave
general satisfaction. 1t was not inviting when
first received. but after trimming and cleaning
also used; It had to be used the day il was
killed and often the animal heat had not left it.
II was fairly good beef. At no time did he have
reason 70 suspect that the refrigerated beef
had been treated with chemicals.
MAJOR, George # Torney; surgeon in charge
majority Of patients brought North from Cuba
on the Relief were typhoid fever cases. There
were some cases OF intestinal diseases. but he
could not attribute such trouble to the food
they had eaten. He thought such cases might
have arisen from exposure in the tropical eli
mate.
Replying to Major Lee. he said he never used
s ssen il r Tssd. Zee He IN tos tn frn tbst an raf RE nstef
Reef used on the Relief gave general %satisfac.
ton; He had no reason 10 suspect that i had
p''" i'o'' ~ ~ u "a itiSi
thfa. surface iaiibumrnn Issue. This, h. thought,
Major Daniel 81. Appel surgeon. testified
that he had charge in New York city. Of the dis;
VICINITY. OF 1000 cases there we're many
Typhoid fever PATIENTS. There were also some
triSuie'i to ant the %,ar uss "f f fn%H%lesi T sonG. II Ma a'v
sick men had complained generally Of
ii from f0e Cuba supply om 9e the nf 'hess sdm SS%ins
upon Investigation were discovered To
b; tH Snf s,nnsi ro1 psrS Sons n,i h I nsysI saw y, any any
hospital n ,Savannah. Replying 70 Major Lee.
he said he heard complaints Of officers that the
beef. Surgeons had also made com nlaints that
they Az not have for the sick such food as
both TO Cuba and to the transports coming
GreegIeat W. simpson. a merchant. %contrsc-
live cattle, trade: was called before he court
ey,S Ma]9s lee. s and ff rsRnn 1os re Gsna az i inyI.
tation Tor proposals for refriGe rated beef. beef
on the hoof and beef on The block After re;
R heat ' would ID be s' cens side edd'sS&S t tHe rst taii Gen!
could be used in Cuba. Later Gen. Pagan told
him OF an experiment by some man in the
south with a process that had kept beef sew
Witness said that on Jan. he received a
]Sf @e 5ssi on ,T thH blS %yn at ]i hasan points 'oT i% on tie
island OF Cuba. This beef is now being sup
p pI,ff /! at ss %o e.. a' f 1fS ]tn,sTi ST 1Es Gin /, I Gf s mn' s.
Commissary In Cuba. that it gave general sat.
isfaction.
Lieut.. VIM. A. Conrad Of the Twenty-thlrd
Infantry described the supplies Oh the trans
port Indiana. conveying his regiment to Manila
frigerator on board containing large quantity
Of refrigerated beef. The beet, after about two
c %Siddks std essSn t Men a"G OIL 9 tSc trnnspS4t come 5ne
E,ainsd Of. the canned roast 5set; To
| the cold storage room and the meat thOrnuphly
chilled so II could 10 sliced up. just about the
time the Indiana arrived at Cavitc q number OF
men became very Il! and attributed their sick
5000 pounds OF fresh beef spoiled and was con-
demned hy a hoard Of survey and thrown over
board. Atter the meat spoiled the odor in the
Witness likenei It to the odor OF a horse dead
for two or three weeks.
Thomas !, Hendricks. 4 meat dealer Of Lake.
to the troops at Lakeland. testified to knowing
Lieut.. CAMPER. At no time did he know OF an
interview between Lieut.. CAMPER and the
agent of Armour 4 Co. He was never present
Major William Williams. who was a commits
sary ~ subsistence during the war with Spain.
testified to going to Ponce on the TRANSPORT
Chester as commissary officer. There Col,
take steps to issue some refrigerated beef that
was on the Manitoba. Some was issued. and
A ola New York regiment how they liked il.
and they said very well. As TO canned roast
beef. he explained that he found it tasteless.
Lieut.. Gamp,crof the First Ohio Volunteers
was recalled and further examined as to his
alleged copyersation with Capt, Michael, Capt.
Cassel, and Mr.. Morehouse Of ArmOur Il CO..
when. the reported remark as I" the ms" Of
chemicals was said to have been made.
The court adjourned until 10 A. ". Monday.