The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-17
Doctor Christine's EmbalminE Story
Disposed OF by nm Inspection of a
Ham-CurinE Department.
EVIDENCE OF ARMY OFFICERS
CAPT. DUNNING HEARD SOLDIERS
"JOSHING ABOUT THE MEAT"
Little Canned Beef Eaten by the
Troops i'm Cuba-TestimOny Of En-
listed Mdn-CompIaints Numerous.

OMAHA, Neb., March 16-The board of
inquiry appointed by the President 10 look
into the charges of General Miles that the
beef issued during the late war was of an
inferior quality unhealthy and at times
"embalmed.' arrived this morning from
Chicago, spent the day in the city, and left
for Kansas City this evening. The morning
was spent in South Omaha. where the plants
of Cudahy and Swift inspected and
testimony taken, after which the investiga-
tion was continued in the court-martial
rooms at the headquarters of the military
Department of the Missouri.
The South Omaha people had no official
notific alton of the arrival of the members
of the board beyond what they had seen in
the ne yspapers. Ar both Swift's and Cuda-
hy's the visitors were given every oppor-
tunity TO make thorough inspection of the
plants. When Cudahy's was reached the
board was met by Daniel Cameron, general
superintendent of the plant and shown
through the canning department. Mr.. Came
ron prepared for their coming and had a
mass of figures the subject of the beef
furnished the army during the war He
showed that Cudahy had furnished but very
little of the canned beef, in all about $500
cases. OF these one lot of 1,000 cases went
TO Jacksonville, Fla, while the rest was sent
10 San Francisco and Manila. AT the house
the party was joined by Assistant Superin-
tendent Scott, of the canning department,
and shown the entire operation of canning.
Special attention given to the roast
beef. DR.. Bigelow took samples of average
beef and followed them from the time they
were cut up until they were placed in the
cans In this department it was found that
nfa Stir of atpr
salt and syrup based on sugar. was placed
in each can. The intention is not to pre-
serve the beef by this. but to give it an adj
ditonal flavor After the inspection the
board opened a can of roast beef and all ate
some of it. 1t was found to be sweet and
toothsome.
Returning to the office the board took tes-
timony for an hour. The first witness called
was Albert Christian, assistant superintend-
ent in the beef department. He testified
TO the quality of refrigerated beef sent 10
| the army in the South last summer. 1t was
all beef of the best quality, and was chilled
and refrigerated in the usual way. He
stated that the company furnished 137,93l
pounds of beef at Jacksonville during the
war. No chemicals of any sort were used
| to preserve the beef, the company relying
| entirely on cold air to keep the meat in
SOOQ cO0QlIlOtl. DO lar Us he KNEW no COI-
| plants had been made, and he thought if
| complaints had been made he would have
! heard of it.
TWO EXAMINATIONS.
| Dr. d. G. Ayre, superintendent of the
| Bureau of Animal Industry at South
| Omaha, was called to testify as to the in
| spection of the animals He stated that
| there were two inspections, the ante-mortem
| and the post-mortem After the post
| mortem examination the inspector had
| nothing more to do with the meat. He did
not think it would be possible for any con-
| demned meat TO pass into the house. The
| manner in which condemned animals are
| got rid of was gone into by the doctor at
| length. He stated that meat could hardly be
taken from the vat in which the condemned
| beef was placed, ard if it were taken out
of this vat it would be too filthy to be used
as food. He had no knowledge of the use
| of chemicals for the preservation of beef.
| Superintendent Cameron was next called.
He stated that the meat used principally
| for canning were the chucks and plates
and that the beef was not of an inferior
| grade He testified that the Gamer was
usually fair animal, and that the portions
not used for canning purposes were sent
| out to the trade especially the ribs and
| loirs. The company furnished this same
quality of roast beef to the English army
| last year and had heard no complaints nor
| was there ever any of the cases returned.
! Boiled beef in sX-pound cans had been fur
| nished the English army and navy in India.
| This boiled beef. he said, was the same
| thing as the roast beef. The only difference
| is in the label
After leaving Cudahy's the party took
the ambulances and drove TO the Swift
| plant. where the ham curing department
was thoroughly inspected. DIR. Christine of
| Philadelphia, had testified that while here
| he had been shown through the Swift plant
] and saw some sort of a liquid being in
! jected into the meat.
Thomas Adams, foreman of the depart
ment, was called and testified that the op-
Grafton was one having reference TO the
curing of hams and was not used in beef
at any time. The liquor injected was salt
petre and water and its only purpose was
| to cure the ham more quickly.
The man who shows the visitors through
the house was next called and stated that
he had shown Dr. Christine through on his
visit here and that the operation as Wit
messed by the board was the same as that
witnessed by the doctor.
After hearing this testimony the board
adjourned and came to Omaha After lunch
| it reconvened a the army headquarters and
heard the testimony Of soldiers who had
been through the campaign al Santiago.
"JOSHED" ABOUT THE MEAT
Captain 5. W. Dunning. Of the Sixteenth
| Infantry, said that on the transport from
Tampa to Santiago canned roast beef was
| issued as part of the rations. He heard
| no complaints, but heard the troops when
the transports were near each other JOSH