Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-03-23
IsENn CONDEMNS "RoAsr' BEEF
says 1t Was Largely Responsible for
the BREAKING Down OF Soldiers,

lays 1t Was Largely Responsible for
the Breaking Down OF Soldiers.
Chicago, March 23.-The court of in
curry yesterday examined two wit.
nesses with regard to the beef ques-
tlon, DIR. Nicholas Sem and Lieuten-
ant Colonel A. w. Corliss. DIR. Sem en-
tlrely disapproved of canned roast
beef as an army ration for any length
II time, and Colonel Corliss told of the
soldiers dislike of it. The court will
mold an all-day session today, expect
ing to leave for New York this evening
or Thursday morning. The remain
ing witnesses will be those suggested
by Major Lee in behalf of Major Cen
eral Miles.
DIR. Nicholas Sem testified that the
troops in Cuba lived largely on canned
roast beef and bacon. What attracted
his attention to the canned roast beef
was its character. He had every reason
to believe that it was not roasted, but
boiled.
1t WAS tasteless and certainly APP
peared to lack nutritious qualities, as
was apparent from the condition of
the men who returned from Cuba to
Montauk-men who had never been i'll,
but were greatly emaciated. He
judged from the condition of these
men that the ration of meat furnished
lacked the proper amount of nutri-
ton. He believed that the meat was
oveIdone-that there was some fault
in the process of preparation-that the
process had not been perfected. The
bacon was of good quality. He had no
fault to find with it. He could say
nothing about refrigerated beef be-
cause he did not'see any of it in Cuba
or Puerto Rico. He made no formal in
spection Of the canned roast beef, but
had eaten some of it, and his state
ments were based on his own expert
ence. The canned beef furnished him
all seemed to be about alike. He did
not notice the brand. The meat was
evidently good meat, but was over
cooked in boiling. Meat oyerdone, as
is wei known, loses much of it's nu-
tritious quality in the escaping fluids.
The albuminoitls are extracted in the
boiling process. How much he could
not say, as he had never seen meat
canned or made an analysis of the
water.
Many agencies contributed to ema-
citation of the men, and one of them
was the lack of nutrition in the meat
ration. He had no doubt if they had
been furnished fresh beef their condi-
ton would have been better. He ate
some native beef, and it was good. In
an invasion of that kind an army
should not be limited to one kind of
meat. No matter what the quality the
men would get tired OF it. He thought
one of the meat supplies for the flu
ture for the army should be dried beef.
Men could be fed once or twice a week
OH canned roast beef without ill eff
feet on their health, but as Il daily ra-
ton for any length of time he did not
consider it n safe or reliable ration.
The canned roast beef was used very
extensively in Cuba, but that ration in
Puerto Rico was very much better
seemed to be better prepared.
The witness stated that the meat as
prepared by the packers, according to
the testimony given, would not lose
much of it's nutrition on account of
being boiled in the cans. He saw no
evidence of the use of chemicals in the
canned roast beef.
He had heard of cases of ptomaine
intoXication. but did see any. Pto-
maines would not develop if the meat
were thoroughly sterilized and prop
erly sealed. When opened the meat
should keep twenty-four hours. 1t
would not be safe to eat after that
time. He really could not say wheth-
err the fresh meat he ate in Puerto Rico
was refrigerator meat or native. lie
thought it was the latter. The meat
was wholesome and palatable.
Lieutenant Colonel A. w. Corliss,
who was attached to the Seventh
army corps in Cuba, testified that he
was shot on the LIST of July and knew
nothing of conditions thereafter.
up to that time" he said, :.we got
good deal of canned corn beef and
canned roast beef. also bacon in small
quantities. Complaints were received
about the canned roast beef; il was
disliked very much. The officers and
men had the same ration. We tried to
eat the canned roast beef, and did cat
it, but in order to do SO we had to
mix it up with hard tack and fry it.
We tried to eat it plain, but could not
1t made MS sick; gave MS bowel tron-
ble."
The court then adjourned until this
morning.