The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
CHEMISTS IN COURT.
Testify as to DR., Days Beef
Soup Residuum.
As REGARDS THE POWDER
Witnesses Hint That They
Would Like 10 Be Shown.

u. >.
at the New York navy yard. was wit
ness before the war investigating COM
mission today. He testified that the timed
cast beef was satisfactory in the navy,
was palatable and good, and that he saw
10 reason why it should not be a good
emergency ration for the army. as it was
a regular ration in the navy. Asked what
proportion OF the ration in the navy tin
red roast beef forms, he said about one
seventh. He went on to say he had no
uced no material difference IN the timed
roast beef when taken TO a tropical ell
mate. He said a can Of the beef if d
mole should penetrate it, would decay
and give out an offensive odor, but it
would not hu | the other cans. a can,
he said, would last some hours after
ISing opened. He admitted that there
Is good deal Of beef that is not palata-
BILE
Much Of the beef used at his yard had
come from Libby, Mcneil q Libby, which
was generally satisfactory, but last June
he had occasion to reject some they fur
nished because dry and unpalatable. He
demonstrated the method of opening the
cans, and two cans bought in open mar
ket, at random, were opened and their
commission. Each member declared it
had good flavor and taste.
DAILY AND THE CHEMISTS.
Of Wielaski, chemist Of the United
States geological survey. reported to the
commission that his test Of the powder
furnished by Surgeon DAILY as being the
residuum from the boiling down Of a
portion of the condemned beef on the
Panama, disclosed the presence of both
boracic and salicylic acids He could not
say where the powder came from. said
boracic acid was unobjectionable and that
It had no offensive odor.
Prof Clarke took the witness stand and
was closely examined. Witness said he |
could say nothing of the origin of the
mate ials tested, nor could he state the 1
probable amount Of these chemical agents
used that would be extracted in making /
lea from the beef, without more material I
ahdIonger time. large quantities of such
chemicals for personalities, howeve he /
SAID, would be Unnecessary and be an /
expensive waste. The boracic acid h, I
said, was odOrless, and he could not. saw
whether it. forms any compounds with /
me neSh or cattle that would produce (
odor
Would it not be probable" he was ask
ed. that meat kept for a time VARYING
from one TO twelve weeks in cold stor-
age, covered by cheese cloth. would be |
affected by the substances in the cheese
cIoth?"
4 should think So" was the reply.
rs It possible to get both these agents
PRESENT.
Yes, 81 We found both in the ma
1erial submitted, purporting to be meat |
extract"
1t does not necessarily follow. then"
ted n
quot you examined came from beef tea?''
No. did not inquire into its origin. -
General Beaver read from Surgeon Da-
Tvs report on the beef on the Panama.
procu ed at Ponce. saying il tasted like
decomposed boracic acid
Now he asked, If there is any per
reptible taste in bOracc acid. would its
Use IN any quantity in meat impart anv
such taste?"
4 should say not" answered the wit
ness.
Then. we have disposed of that" COM
mented General Beaver.
SCIENTIFICALLY MEANINGLESS.
Witness said he knew of no such thing
as decomposed bOracic acid. and that
from scientific point Of view the ex-
preston was meaningless; that boracic
acid IN such quantities as likely would
he used, would leave no taste in the
mouth Of an individual as had been testi-
ned yesterday q Surgeon DAILY.
Would the treatment Of boracic or
saiicyAc acid make any odor or stencil
from decayed beef"' interrupted ex-Gov-
ernor Woodbury.
That would take actual experiment"
was me reply. There might be some
slight product of putrefacton."
Asked as 10 the effect upon health Of
using beef injected with the boracic acid.
witness said it would be relatively harm
less, but that the use Of salacylic acid
would be detrimental and would be pro-
Eibited by most European countries. The
Use of the boracic acid on meat furnished
troops. in his opinion, would be of very
little Importance from a health view. but
the salicylc acid would be objectionable
The effect Of the preservatives was 10
make the meat keep longer. IL the meat
were kept p hours after leaving the re-