West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-03-30
"EMBALMED BEEF. .
A Sample Day Before The Army Court
OF Inquiry.
Testimony That Maggots We're In
The Meat When IL Was Canned.

tional one. He was an officer of the
regular army. First Lieuteuaut NJ
+. Davis of the First Cavalry. called at
tho request OF Major Lee. the represen-
tative Of General Miles.
Lieutenant Davis testified that in
Cuba ons.half tho canned roast beef is
sued TO the soldiers was thrown away
because il was unfit To eat. lie testi.
fled that he had opened one can him.
self and found maggots IN it,
Major Lee asked How did the
maggets get in there ?"
They were canned in there" the
witness replied
Colonel Davis: Are you aware that
in tho process OF canning this meat
undergoes such an iatense heut that
no animal life could survive in il p"
81 don't mean TO say they were alive;
they we're dead "
DIR. sHAw's TESTIMONY.
DIR. John H. Shaw, OF Joliet, H.,
Surgeon of ths Third Illinois Volun-
tesrs, testified that on the voyage from
Newport News to Porto Rico. canned
roast beef was issued, and there was a
great deal Of complaint about II. II
was stringy, pulpy and nausaating and
did not seem TO nourish the men
Much sickness followed the use OF il .
The witness attributed the sickness to
ptomaine poisoning. lie believed pto-
maines would develop in the hot sun
in five or six minutes after n can was
opened. IL the meat was properly
| stsrilized ptomaines would not develop
1--WE saw what was being issued. but
took it because we could get nothing
| else
1--WE had canned roast bee nearly all
tho while, and the men refused TO ea j.
IL. IL was ordered condemned and we
buried lot Of IL. One Of the men said
IL we did not bury il. il would bury Us.
AS To the refrigerator beef very little
OF IL was used, Mt least lhrso-quarters
OF it had 10 be cut off. do not think
any chemicals had been used on the
meat. 1t was simply spoiled. The
meat had undoubtedly been acted up.
/ WI ny INV uGhis lIll ldd hbl btUt1 IL.
The fat and grease and gelatine had
all intermingled with the fibre"
WHOLE COMPANY POISONED.
DIR. Shaw told about being called cut
one night to look after the men OF Co.
A. who were reported TO have been
poisoned by eating canned roast beef
lie said that they vomited fearfully
aad it seemed that hypodermic injec.
tions Of morphiHe would hardly relief
the pain. They were sick for some
days afterwards. with a great deal OF
diarrhCea and intestinal trouble.
When tho men ceased eating the
canned roast boef, was there any i'm
proyoment p asked Major Lee.
Yes; the canned roast beef gcner-
ally gave them diarrhma and CASTRO
en- teritis."
"Did you. ia an official way, recon-
mead its discontinuance ?"
'Yes, sir, TO my immediate comman-
der"
did the COmmissary come around
and End out how these things were ?"
"IIe came several times and told ms
it was all right think It was Cap
tain Piper. lie told us we would have
70 eat IL. Sometimes we substituted
what they call bacon, but great deal
OF that had maggots ia IL and had 70
be condemned. II we had dspende
upon the army rations the troops
would have starved TO death They
speut all the money they got to buy
things TO eat. either at the commissary
store or in tho city"
what was the brand on this canned
roast beef p
81 am not sure; tried TO eat some Of
II, but could not; IL was absolutely re-
voting"
when the beef was eaten from cans
did you order II emptied out Of the can
Immediately ?"
1--WE tried 70 haye IL served imme-
diately, but nnder that intense heat
| putrefaction would set in almost as
soon as the can was opened. ] think
| ptomainos were developed almost i'm
rnediately after the opening OF the
can"
COLONEL BEENITT's EXPERIENCE.
The next witness was Colonel FRED
BsBnitt, Colonel Of the Third Illinois
Volunteers. lie spoke Of the voyage
from Newport News 70 Porto Rico.
fle testified % the same facts as his
surgeon.
George Lees. the next witness. gave
his occup1 tion "a that Of a packing
house expert, putting mp mach merry
ard apparatus for large packing houses.
Tie said that he was familiar with the
classes Of cattle delivered IN Chicago.
What are 'canners' - asked Major
Lee.
what is generally termed Gamer
is very inferior class Of cattle; I
think one-third ~ them would be con
demnei IN any English market Chucks
and some tin,rs lprat scraped of the
plates arc usej for canning"
"Ahout what pcr cent of nutrimcnt
would he left in the meat that goes in
the ctu p
"Bittlc or none
Wfp ~ Fanfo~fo farf0o1 fhat bs