Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-05

by DR.. Daily concerning official inspections
of the beef at the camps at Jacksonville
Lexington and Chickamauga All these
stated THAI the meat uEed generally looked
well. but there was a universal compla int
of it's smelling badly. He had found the
fresh beef to be apparently preserved by
the injection of some chemical which de-
stroyed its natural flavor and which must OF
necessity have been injurious to the health
Of these eating it. 1t was to his mind
impossible to preserve the meat without
the use Of acids and apparently the meat
had been preserved by the Injection of
chemicals to aid The work of defective cold
storage"
In one case he had found the odor similar
to that of a dead human body, and in an
other, speaking of the odor, he said: 1T
was unnatural, mawkish, sickly, like that
Of human cadaver after an undertaken
had injected his embalming preservative."
He was satisfied that the beef had been
chemically prepared-that it had been en-
balmed, in fact. After his reports had
gone in he had in order to satisfy his own
mind, made chemical analysis of a resi-
dunn from the beef used on the Panama
and had found distinct evidence of the
presence of boric and salycilic acids. He
then referred again to the report OF the
war commission. in which reference had
been made to the use of these drugs, the
intimation being that a trace of them would
not be Injurious Replying, Dr. DAILY as
serted that the chemicals were detrimental
to health and they could only be used at
the peril of those taking them.
Chemicals Are Unsafe.
mo matter what authority says these
chemicals are safe they are not safe" said
DIR. DAILY, emphaticslly.
Here DR.. DAILY introduced a Joint report
made by DR.. Clark chief chemist, and DR..
Hildebrandt, chemist of the geological sur
yey, on an analysis made by them OF
residuum from the beef used on the Panama.
In this report they said they had examined
the powder furnished by DR.. DAILY.
Both the flame test and the turmeric
paper test give distinct evidence of the
presence of boric acid" they said 1--WE
also obtained good reaction with ferric
chloride, showing the presence of salicylic
acid"
In response to a general question, Dr.
DAILY said he had come into much informa-
tlon conirmatory of what he had testified
to, but which had come to him in a conf
Dental way, rendering 1t improper for him
to give the names of those supplying the
facts. In truth. a ban had been placed
upon the information. He thought that
some forty or fifty persons had spoken to
him in corroboration of what he had said,
These were the proprietors of slaughtering
houses and the manufacturers of chemicals.
One manufacturer had told him that he
would have been compelled to go out OF
business but for the patronage of the beef
men, He said after some questioning that
he would ascertain whether he could give
the names OF these people to the court.
In cross examination by Colonel Davis,
DR. DAILY said he had heard nothing when
he had made his first observation at Tampa
in response to Colonel Weston's remark to
the effect that any chemical had been used
on the beef which the colonel had hung in
the sun. He said he had preserved the
specimen from the beef on the Panama In
an aerated bottle, locking 1t in a port
manteau He had given the specimen no !
treatment except to remove the fat by !
altering through raw cotton. Asked II he
was still as much convinced as when he
made his report of the quality of the beef,
he said: II am stronger In my convictions
than ! ever was, from the unsolicited evil j
dence that has come TO me since the report |
was made"
Miles Offers Names and Evidence.
After Dr. DAILY had completed his testi-
mony Major Lee submitted a written re-
guest from General Miles for the admission
7f the cfficial reports Of lat men, represent
ng twenty-six regiments. as testimony It
was said these reports all bore upon the
question of the character of the beef sup
'lied to the army and were pertinent to the /