The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-02-16


land transportation so badly needed when the
army reached Cuba. Cirelessness In loading
transports caused, in some instances, delay in
securing medical supplies, at Santiago
In regard To COmmiSsary General Eagan's
department It was declared, in part that al
most without exception that wherever troops
were ordered, the rations prescribed by law
were on the transports.
On refrigerated beef the report said in part
Refrigerated Beef
This commission was organized Sept "a
last. Up to Dec. q its members had taken ties.
tmOuy in II different towns aud cities and
nine camps. 1t had also received many hun
dred letters, communications and newspaper
clippings from persons living In all parts Ot
the country. Examination Of numerous ofti.
GERS and enlisted men had been made AS TO the
quality and condition of the meat issued to the
| troops. The testimony, with some exceptions,
showed that the refrigerated beef issued was
pure, sound and wholesome.
'On Dec. q last Major General Nelson
Miles, upon the written request Of the prCsi-
dent of this commission, appeared before IT,.
He refused 10 be sworn, as all other witnesses
had been, except one, who affirmed. stating
| that he would make his statements without
being sworn and was responsible for what he
| said. He proceeded, and for the first time in
the history OF this investigation the allegation
/ was made that refrigerated beef Issued to the
troops had been chemically treated.
IN the statement, revised by BimsOlf, Gen.
eral Miles said:
There was sent TO Porto Rico 837 tons Of
what IS known ~ so. called refrigerated beef,
which you might call embalmed beef He
proceeded to read a communication from DR..
W. H. DAILY, major and chief surgeon, United
states volunteers, ON his staff bearing date of
Sept. u, ls9S, wherein DR. DAILY stated that:
IN the several inspections made in the
"a uFNIN A.
sonviIe Chlckamauga and Porto Rico, found
the fresh beef TO be apparently preserved with
secret chemicals which destroy its natural
havor and which ! also believe to be detri.
mental to the health Of the troops
although DIR. Daily swears that he informed
Seneral Miles about the first of August, 1898,
that he suspected that the refrigerated beef
was chemically treated IL does not appear
that the general informed you or the war de.
partment that an officer of his staff had made
this discovery, nor does IL appear that he at
the time ordered any of the officers under his
command TO probe to the bottom an allegation
which, # true, concerned the health of 275Uvg
soldiers Of the United States. 1t appears from
the report Of DIR, DAILY, which he handed to
General Miles Oct. q last, that he then specific
ally stated that the refrigerated beef furn.
ished to the troops was apparently chemic
ally treated.
1T does not appear that when this charge
made 70 him in August, 1898 that General
Me: communicated to YOU or the secretary
OF war or TO the commissary general the be-.
het or sTsuiciOn entertained by him that re-
frt2erated meat dangerous to health was L..
sueI every day 10 the troops, in failure to DO
which there was dercliction of duty. IL h
true that on Sept. 20 he had directed that an
order should be issued asking for reports rula.
tive 20 meats issued but the order sppciGctIl.
mentioned canned fresh roast beef and moth.
ing else, and II was the reports received in
answer 10 this that were presented in abstract
by the general at the time of his appearance,
before the commission and since.
In his report DIR. DAILY does not mako tho
all important statement that he had alrrad,
chemically analysed any meat although he
suggests that such analysis should be made.
He does state that in the several inspections
made by Il m at Tampa, Jacksonville. Chicly4.
mauga and Porto Rico Le found the fresh
beef 10 be apparently preserved with secret
chemicals He says that NJ Ponce the beef III,
examined was also Of the same character
being nDparently preserved by injected
chem GALS
Dor months, as II appears DR.. DAILY con.
cealel the knowledge of the commission of "A
crime affecting men under his charge. whom.
rs an officer aud phsylcian he was bound to
protect"
Tn, report then, after quoting from th,
regulations Of the agricultural department.
prescribing the manner in which Inspections
are made (and no packing house IN the cOun.
try Is allowed to do business without govern
mental lnspection), after detailing the pro.
ccsses pursued by our officials and showing
the practical impOssiDihty of putting impur,
meat upon the market, goes ON to say:
"The commission has not confined itself Z,
merely verbal or written proof. immediately
upon hearing the testimony of DIR. DaIv ON
Jan 70 telegrams were sent to all issuing com.
missaries in Cuba, Porto Rico and at IN.
various home camps occupied by trOops asl,
ing that samples Of refrigerated beef bee nj
once taken, placed In glass Jars secure,
sealed and forwarded to the commission
These samples were TO be of one pound weight
from the outside and one pound weight from
the inside OF a quarter. In Response to thu.
request many samples have been received and
later sent to chemists Of the agricultural ana
interior departments for carefully chcmica
examination. The result OF analysis has been
reported TO us ia 20 cases, as will be seen bt
the reports appended, in no specimen OK
amined has either b9ric or salcylIc acid ,r
other dGletrlous chemicals been found.
In view Of the facts above set forth tn,
commi ssion is Of the opinion that no refrigrr
ated beef furnished by contrac tors and i,,urr
TO the troops during the war with Spain wa
subjected to or treated with any chemicals b,
the contractors or those in their employ.
Canned Meats.
I'm considering questions concerning cannef
meats II Is HDt the dJty OF the commission l..
inquire into the character, kind of Conlitio.
of an the canned meats that may be in use IL
this country. Our specific ddty Is 10 give M
opinion AS TO the quality OF those furnishe.
the soldiers during the recent war with Spain
There has been neither allegation nor proc
before " that borc or salicylic or any othe
acid has been used in the canned meats fur
nshed to the troops, but such meats hay,
nevertheless been greatly criticised, and thr'
! have for that reason been tested by us alr
| have been analysed under our direction. anl
| we have taken Il great deal OF testimony as {,
| the mode Of their preparation. The came,
meat Is ordinarily taken from the forequar
ters OF beeyes"
The agricultural departments official re
| port upon the methods employed by the pack
| ing houses, as required under the inspection
| regulations Is incorporated.
The commissions report shows that a nun
| Der Of officers testified that the canned bee
was unpalatable IL is also ELECTED that In
| tropical country, where it IL subjected to al
| In tense heat. the meat presents repulsiy
appearance at first. Furthermore, it tiaAs
pires thai occasionally an inferior article /
found.
A letter from the war department records &
| given, showing that General Miles endorsed
| recoinm AZ lation by w. II. Carter, assistan
| adjutant genera, recommending canned bee
| rs a good ration for soldiers going TO Alask
| and for the relief Of the needy in Alaska, IN
| lettor being written Oct. 49, 1897.
The work of the signal corps, pay depart
| ment, engin eer department and ordnance de
partment was declared tO be as good as posi-
| BILE under the circumstances.
The medical department is dwelt upon a