The record-union., 1899-04-01
Testify as to Quality Of Meat Fur
nished the Army.
The Canned Roast Beef Unsatisfactory as
Food for the Troops.
Two Witnesses Interested In Sup
plying Beef ON the Hoof Also
Placed on the Witness Stand,
Who Contradict General
Eagan's Testimony.

WASHINGTON, March 31.-All but
two witnesses before the army inquiry
court to-day were members of the med
ical staff who were on service in. Cuba
during the. Spanish war The other
two witnesses were George H. Giddings
and General j. Hale Sypher, who had
been interested in securing contracts
for supplying beef on the hoof and on
the block for the army in Cuba They
testified that General Eagan had told
them that the Secretary of war had
asked him to give the refrigerator beef
a trial, while Mr.. Sypher said that Cen
era1 Eagan had created the impression
upon him that he preferred beef on the
block to refrigerated beef. Their tesh-
mony throughout was contradictory to
General Eagan's testimony. Mr.. Gid
dings said that Congressman Hawley
was present at several of his confer
ences with General Eagan.
A majority of the army surgeons ex-
pressed the opinion that the canned
beef was unsatisfactory as food for the
troops, but some of them thought it no
more harmful than other meat in the
Cuban climate.
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE COURT.
WASHINGTON, March 31.-The fore
noon session of the Army Beef Inquiry
Board opened with a. number of officers
of the Medical Corps of the army pres
ent as witnesses. Colonel Charles r.
Greenleaf, chief medical inspector OF
the army, who was the chief surgeon
in the field during the Spanish war,
and who was with General Miles in
Porto Rico, was the first called to
testify.
He said that while in Cuba, on his
way to Porto Rico, he had been able
to give no attention to the food sup
ply of the troops. but While in Porto
Rico he had looked into the question
of food incidentally. He then heard
no complaints of Importance, except as
to the character of the cooking. His
attention had not been brought 20
any complaints concerning either the
canned or refrigerator beef, but he had
eaten some of the canned roast beef
and did not relish it.
1T was not pleasant to the sight, he
said, '1and it was mawkish to the taste
without condiments, such as salt and
pepper
In reply to a question as to what ef-
feet the use of this meat as food would
have upon the health of the troops, DR.
Greenleaf said the effect of it would be
similar to the use of all canned meats
If good and prepared with condiments
and vegetables and not used too mucn
it might be eaten without detriment. II
spoiled, it would produce sickness or
probably if used steadily, the system
would not accept it.
TT would. if used daily and without
condiments or vegetables, pail on the
appetite, which would at last revolt
against it,
He said he had found that in the hot
climate of Porto Rico the meat did not
keep long when opened. He had mol
taken the food question into account in
connection with the health of the
troops attributing the sickness solely
to the climate.
Colonel B. F. Pope, chief surgeon OF
the Fifth Army Corps in the Santiago
campaign. also testified concerning the
food supply of the campaign. The haro
bread he found good and the canned
vegetables generally SO. The canned
beef. wrongly labeled roast beef, ne
did not speak of in such high terms.
I'VE accepted it as a part of the ra-
tions and ate it as we'll as we couid
but it was unsatisfactory in appearance
and entirely lacking in SAVIOR. 1t was
also stringy and tough, and, in some
cases. it was decompoSed, causing the
cans containing it to swell. l also
noticed that it deteriorated rapidly
after being exposed to the air. Inc
great trouble seemed to be in the lack
of facilities for cooking the beef 1t
was not so bad in the form of steWs or
hash as when eaten alone, as 1t was
necessary it should be used by the SOL
diers in the field, without cooking OF
preparation in any way. Taken so II
was very unsatisfactory diet. IL
looked like beef from which beef tea