New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-21
MILESS CHIEF SURGEON HEARD.
DIR. DAILY REPEATS HIS STATEMENTS AS
TO "EMBALMED BEEF" - HIS RE-
PORTS MADE VOLUNTARILY.

PORTS MADE VOLUNTARILY.
wesb,ngton Ian 20-Mnior W. H. Daily. chief
sureeon with General Miles whose field service ex-
tended from Tampa 10 Porto Rico and whose re-
port condemning the beef furnished to the expedi-
ton created sensation several weeks ago. APP
peared as witness before the War Investigating
Commission to-day Surgeon Days report was the
strongest in language Of those submitted BY Cen
eral Miles in subsiantaton Of bis attack on the
beef supplies. DR.. Daily has been too III 10 appear
before. He was accompanied by General Miles
own stenographer. On being sworn he idenuhed
the report submitted as his own, changing It's date
however from September 81 70 october 81 He was
willing he said. to stand by his report II was
wholly voluntary and was not called out by any
request or In obedience circular or letter 50
far as he remembered. He bad heard nothing OF
an official circular calling for reports Al Ponce
however. some time between August and IL ne
believed he had communicated to General Niles
some observations regarding beef supplies. Al
Tampa on shpboard ne had noticed quarter OF
beef hanging free in the SUM- and he became Inter
ested in the experiment OF having fresh slaugh-
tered beef placed under such moist climatic condi-
tons 10 see how long It could stand H.
'I observed" said he that the flies. especially
the bufies did not affect II: did not aligh on 1t,
or II they did they got away from It very quickly"
He had cut off piece Of that beef ct Tampa and
cooked It. but II neither srnelled nor tasted natu-
rally. Later he helped the men corral some horses.
and subsequently he had trouble with his stomach
which he Arst attributed 10 the activity Of cor
railing Then he noticed indications OF chemicals
that brought back recoections Of chemical stuff
he had used to preserve elk in a hunting expedi-
ton in the Rocky Mountains some years before.
AL that day at Tampa and the next ne had an I'M
pleasant taste. In that previous hunting expert
ence he had analysed the chemical preservative,
and found Il TO contain borax and salcylic acid.
These were TO be used externally on the elk but
"a % IN
1ected Il.
Questioned as 70 these ingredients. he said eorax
was not safe 10 be used IN connection with 1000
nor for ordinary medicinal purposes. while the
sacylic acid was most nauseous, loathsome ana
disgusting almost always destructive Of digestion.
Dr. Daily said the attempt 10 preserve the beef by
chemicals was not a success. That had been his
experience on the transport Panama. in the beef
carried by which ship he was pretty sure chem
tcals were involved" That beef. he said, was very
foul. He thought the Government beef require
rnents Of the contractors were very unreasonable
everybody knows" he said. that beef exposed 10
moisture and warmth for twenty-tour hours will
be very much tried" Recurring 70 the transport
Panama he said most o; the beef II carried was
REFRIGERATED They had secured ton OF beef. and
for this they at first had one and half tons OF
ice later increased 70 eleven and half toHS OF
ice The beef however. had decidedly peculiar
odor
AT Ponce" went on 10 ray l observer TIC
refrigerated beef taken from the transports II had
a peculiar odor. ! observed the examination OF
spoiled beef on ono transport. 1t was done BY
butcher down in the hold. He thrust his arm IN
every direction into the putrid meat trying 10 md
a solid place This meat had the same peculiar
odor" He added that the Panama's beef war
ranted his report. its odor was Ike that OF
human body into which preservatlves had been In
jected.
He also told OF the strong doors aboard the trans
port Chester. General Beaver asked II the witness
did not think his examination purely Superficial
and without any substantial knowledge.
mo would not like 70 say that" DR.. Daily re-
plied He believed the beef or the Panama mad
come from the transport Manitoba. On the ran
anna coming over from Ponce, nc had made some
tea or soup from the refrigerated beef. the S0nS
mat had been condemned had altered II anc seaied
n Theoretically in q can, and when ne EeacheG ms
home al Pittsburg. mad analyZed II. from TINS ne
COS a lightish brown residuun. This, ne SAID as
Closed the characteristics Of borax and saAcyHc
acid. ., =, inc, .. so,,o,
st-ate the test DR. Conner objected, insisting mat
ho leave the powder the witness brought as tne
residuum OF this beef with the Commission, TO be
Examined By Government chemist. witness
nIended not 70 have the matter taken out OF his
VA, DR. DAILY be present with the official chemist.
snd n was arranged TO have Professor Clarke. OF
The Geological Survey examine the powder