New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-22
RAD FOOD FOR SOLDIERS.
DR. NICHOLAS SEEMS OPINION OF THE
CANNED BEEF.
HE THINKS THE METHOD OF PREPARA-
TON is AT FAULT-MADE liT
MEN SICK AT SANTIAGO

Chicogo March 1.-THE Army Beef court III
Inquiry tonight examined two wtnessesD',
olas Sem and Lieutenant-Colonel ~ W. No''''
DR. Sem entirely dsapproved OF cahhed 'o"S' ~
rs an Army ration for any length OF '''iie, "'l
Iioutenant- Coonel Corliss said that the soiue'e
a,.,,Lod :, The court Will hold an all-day session
Tomorrow expecting to start for New-forK TO-
morrow evening or Thursday morning Inc re-
manning witnesses will be those suggested py
Major Lee in behalf Of Major-Generai Miles
Dr Sem who served in Cuba and Porto RICO
testified that the troops in Cuba lived largely oii
canned roast beef and bacon. He had every reaso''
TO believe that the canned beef was not roas'eu.
but bo,led II was tasteless and certainly appeared
to lack nutritious qualities. as was apparent rom
the condition OF the men who returned from Nuo''
| TO Montauk-men who had never been ILL., p"l "e'e
greatly emaclated. He believed that the meat was
overdone-that there some fault In the process
Of preparaton-that the process has not been per
fected The bacon OF good quality. lie coulu
cav nothing about refrigerated beef because he ala
not SEQ any OF IT in Cuba or Porto RICO. lie mace
no formal inspection OF the canned roast Deet oue
had eaten some OF II. and his statements were
based on his own experience. The meat was Oh
good quality but. stated before. was not prop
erly prepared-was overlooked In boiling. ne
thought one of the supplies In the future Tor
the Army should be dried beef. Men could be fed
once or twice week on roast beer without any
n-efrect on their health, but as daily ration TOT
any length OF time he would not consider II sate OF
! advisable When the packers learned how to make
real roast beef he thought It would be an excellent
thing but not as an exclusive diet The canned
roast beef was used extensively In Cuba, but the
| ration I'm Porto Rico much better and seemed
! to be better prepared.
In reply TO General Davis. the witness said that
the meat as prepared by the packers according to
the testimony given would not lose much or It's
nutriment on account OF being boiled in the cans.
He saw no evidence Of the use OF chemicals In the
canned roast beef He mad heard Of cases OF
ptornalne intoxicaton, but did not see any.
Ptomalnos would not develop II the meat were
thoroughly sterzed and properly sealed When
opened the meat should keep twenty -four hours.
II would not he saf eat II after that time.
In answer questions from Colonel Gillespie Or.
Sem said that he could not say whether the fresn
meat he ri I'm Porto Rico refrigerated meat or
native He thought II was the latter. The meat
was wholesome and palstable.
Lieutenant Colonel Corliss. who was attached To
the eth Infantry In Cuba testified that he was shot
! on July l. and knew nothing OF conditions there
after that
TIP TO that time" he said. we got a good deal
Of canned corned beef and canned roast beef. also
bacon In small quantities Complaints were re-
| ceivcd about the roast beef; II dislked very
much The officers and men had the same atoms.
We tried 10 eat the canned roast beef. and did eat
/ IT, but I'm order 10 do so we had to mix 1t up with
! hardtack and fry II. We tried to eat II plain but
could not; it made us sick and gave us bowel
! trouble"
Major Lee did not examine the witness, and the
court had no questions to ask The court adjourned
! until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.