Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-16
THE BEEF INQUIRY.
AN ARMY SURGEON GIVES RAJ
TION BAD CHARACTER.
Oy Telegraph 20 PARLIAMENTARY

fore the army beef inquiry court to-
day that on the voyage from Newport
News to Porto Rico canned roast beef
was issued. and there was Il great deal
OF complaint about it. 1t was stringy.
PUPPY and nauseating and did not
seem 10 nourlsh the men. Much diar-
ihoel followed the use of it,. The wit
ness attributed the sickness to
ptomalne poisoning. He believed
ptomaincs would develop in the hot
sun in five or six minutes after q can
was opened. If the meat were properly
steriliZcd ptomaincs would not develop.
While in Porto Rico. 20 miles from
Ponce, the matter OF rations was taken
out of the regiments hands to great
extent. General Grant seemed to know
more about it than anybody else The
witness took no particular interest in
them because Of the action OF General
Grant.
The law required the surgeon to SUI
perviso the cooking. and that which il
issued? Did you interest yourself to
ascertain what was being issued TO the
enlisted mem"
we saw what was issued. and took
1t because we could not get anything
else. we had canned roast beef nearly
all the while. ana the men refused to
eat II. 1t was ordered condemned and
we buried lot of it, One of tho men
said II we did not bury it it would bury
us. y board Of survey was ordered. but
tie witness never heard anything more
about 1t. As to the refrigerator beef
very little of ii was used. as at least
three quarters of it would have td be
cut off. l do not think any chemicals
had been used on the meat 1t was
simply spoiled. The meat had un-
doubtedly been acted upon by the heat
winch had softened it. The fat ana
grease and gelatine had ali inter-
mingled with the fibre.
The court held a short executive ees-
sion this afternoon ana determined to
leave Tonight for Omaha, where an in
spection of the stock yards will be
mace. Thence the members will pro-
ceed to Kansas city. Ii is the cxpec-
| tire court tt-rt.-ttr.,i IL chi
cago by Tuesday Of next week. when
The examination of witnesses viii be
proceeded with.
MEN MADE VERY SICK.
Under REORGANIZATION. Or shaw
told about being called out one night
to look after the men of COMPANY \
VINO were reported TO have been pois-
oheu by eating canned roast beef lie
said they vomitcd fearfully. ana it
seemed that hypodemic Injections Of
morphine would hardly relieve the pain.
They were eick for some DAYS after
and Intestinal trouble.
when the men ceased eating the
canned roast beef. was there any i'm.
provcmcnt?'' asked Major Lee
Yes: the canned roast beef generally
gave Them darrhoca ana castor enter,
tits"
Did the commissary come around
and find out how these things were?"
THE COMAIlSSARY INATTENTION.
He came several times. and told lis
II was all right. | think it was CAPTAIN
Piper. lie told us it was all right. ana
we would have to eat 1t. Some times
we substituted what they called bacon
but n great deal of that had magguts
in II, and had To be condemned. If we
had depended upon the army rations
the troops would have starved to
death.
They spent all the money they got
buying things to eat, either at the COM
mlssary store or in the city"
What was the brand on this canned
roast bcef?'
II think it was Libby. Mcneil ana
Libby; | am not sure. | tried to eat
some of it but could not: it was abso-
luteiY revolving"
PACKING HOUSE EXPERT TEST
FIES.
George Lees, another witness. gave
house expert. putting up machinery and
apparatus for large packing houses. He
sald he was familiar with the classes
OF ca tie delivered in Chicago.
wv lat are 'canners?'" asked Major
Ice.
What is generally termed 'canners'
are Il very inferior class of cattle;
think one-third OF them would DE con-
dcmned in any English market Chucks
ana sometimes meat scrapcd off the
plates are used for canning"
about what per cent. of nutrimcnt
would be lett III the meat that goes in
the can?"
Little or none"
REPULSlVE AND UNINVITINC
captain d. II. BrouShton. Third cav
airy, testified that in his command the
officers drew the same rations as thn
men, while in Cuba 1.-The colnnlnint
about the canned beef" he said was
tHat the men could not eat the meat
ana would not eat it unless absolutely
compelled 10 do 50 to appcasc hunger.
" nen the cans were opened the first
thinS that struck the observer was tho
rcpuiSiVc uninvitinS appearance OF the
contents.
NO Nou consider canned roast beef
Wholesome for the American soldiers? ."
IL IS exceedingly unvholcSnmc. IT
tastes like chips. There is no substance.
ana The rat and grease are absolutely
repulsiyc."
COT TURNER'S EXPERIENCE.
Colonel Henry l.. Turner. who went
TO Cuba in command of the First mi
nois Infantry and hccamc brigadler
general of the Second Brigade or the
Third Division of the Fifth Army Corps
Was the next witness.
In reply 10 Major Lee. tho witness
stated lhnt he had tried to eat some of
the canned roast beef, but it nauseatcd
him and ne could not do it. II certainly
was unfit for ration in Il warm eli