Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-23

Lieut.. J. D. l.. Hartman, of the 1st
Cavalry, who was acting regimental
quartermaster while the regiment was
stationed at Lakeland. Fla, testified
that refrigerated beef was received
from Amour & Co. 1t was brought to
Lakeland in cars At first it was very
good and there was no objection to it,
but in two or three or four days it be-
gan to get poorer in quality. In two
instances a board of survey rejected
the beef. In one case the witness re-
jected A whole carload. The stencil
was observable before the car was
opened The beef was not received be-
cause the decomposition had set in
He had no recollection of any con-
versation between Sergeant Mason, his
clerk and the representative of Ar
mour & Co. Mason had charge of the
delivery of the meat TO the troops.
The witness had no recollection of say
ing anything to him with reference to
meat preservatives. He had no rec
objection of any conversation with Ar
mours representative on that subject
He had no reason to believe or suspect
| that the beef had been treated with
| preservatives or chemicals. The spoil
| ing was due. he thought, to the fact
| that the meat had been chilled and
would not hold up after exposure to
the excessive heat at Lakeland.
! After the rejection of carload the
agent of Armour said: That would
not do referring TO the way in which
| the meat had been furnished The agent
| tried to get the meat shipped in ice.
In some cases ice was put in with the
beef. but this gave the beef a Shiny,
repulsive appearance and it was re-
| ;ected Witness then got authority to
! buy beef in the open market.
DR.. T.. +, Murdoch, who was for two
wears president of the auxiliary medl
cal staff in the Chicago health depart
ment and is an analytical chemist
stated that ne mad made several exam
nations of both canned and Hefrigerat-
cd beef. dating back several years
Some time in the latter part OF June
1898. be said, some canned meat was
brought to him to determine its char
acter. The first sample was brought
with the assertion that it was horse
flesh out on examination this was
found to be untrue.
The witness found that the meat II
the can was apparently boiled Deer
i. probably had been boiled somewhat
before il was sealed in the can anc
somewhat after. There was In tn
can quite a quantity of common sal
and also nitrate of potash, called SAT-
mere. These preservatves, SAID th'
witness, must have been in the can be
fore the boiling was complete. because
,bev had saturated the fibre OF the
,,aat and hardened it. In his repor
In the gentleman who brought him tn
meat the witness stated this was th'
great affection to canned meat
ehould he cooked without salt in ofde
ia he nutritious: the seasoning shoul'
ha nlaced in il or on it after the cook
ing was complete.
Tbe character of the meat. in Dl
Murdock's Judgment. was largely poo
Grade or rather low grade. Two o
tho cans contained but very SINAI
Quantity of muscular tissue. the nu
,ri,ious norton of the beef. The ex
ar,;nation was continued by the boil
49,. nf meat in a retort to see how
,,,,,oh heef extract could be taken from
E - oounds of it the amount produces
ras so small that it was not percepti
r ~, - VOC not enough to be used as
: culture medium in experiments III oac
d teriology. .;o,, .
: with reference to the examination O
a -. h.af the witness said that a
:, ,hrae Inherent times there wer
I ,,na,yht TO him pieces of what SCENE
e ,nShe ordinary meat from the marke
which had evidently oeen kept SOM
time. presumably in refr is;.nn Dr..
~ fo,,nd salt in a very small guam
:. said DIR. Murdoch. and some c
:, NY uas coated with boracic aciC
u 1 IN other the, specimens I found that the
a IN w. .oated with a preparation {
= hiu - acid for preserving the mea
=. = saiics ~ ,,,a oninion that salicylic aci
saN NV detrimental to digestion
was ~ s,,.ed nausea. Boracic aci
:, n 49, i, itself not nauseating' delay