The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-02-14
certain there was but one occasion, tnat of
day, in front of Santiago. when the troons

day, in front of Santiago. when the troops
We're S seriously 81 short Of rstions these hat
men went into action; the condition OF
roads and lack of transportation prevent.
ration was rot Of good quality. the pota:
toes and onions being spoiled. Condemned
by board of survey, such vegetables were
ration issued. Some trouble occurred be-
cause such vegetables and other damaged
food were disposed OF by the company
This was done through ignorance. their
officers not knowing what was necessary
Refrigerated Beef.
This commission was organized the
oath day of September last. Up to the 2lst
day OF December its members had taken
and nine camps. 1t had also received MANY
hundred letters, communications and
newspaper clippings from persons living
IN all parts OF the country. Examinations
of numerous officers and enlisted men had
been made as to the quality and condition
testimony. with some exceptions. showed
that the refrigerated beef issued was pure.
sound and wholesome.
Gen Nelson A. Miles, upon the written re-
quest Of the president Of this commission,
appeared 'os, before 11 It, -. He refused to be
cept. one, who affirmed, stating that he
would make his statements without being
sworn and was responsible for what he
said. He proceeded, and for the first time
in the history of this investigation the all
legation was made that refrigerated beef
issued to the troops had been chemically
treated.
Gen. Miles Charge.
I'm the statement. revised by himself,
Gen. Miles said: There was sent to Porto
Rico 3S7 tons of what is known as so-called
refrigerated beet, which you might call en-
baimed bee beet He grocess S to read com
and chief surgeon United States yol1i n.
teers. on 2, his isot staff. bearing date of Sep
that: In the several inspections maoe IN
the various camps and troopships at Tam
pa, Jacksonville, Chickamauga and Porto
emily. preserved with secret chemicals
which destroy its natural flavor, and which
l also believe to be detrimental to the
although DR.. DAILY swears that he in
isH. Gen. Miles about the LIST of August.
ated beef was chemically treated, it does
not appear that the general informed the
war department that an officer of his staff
officers under his command to probe to the
cerned the health Of rs 600 soidiers Of c the
United States. It appears from the report
% pr. DAILY. which he handed to Gen Miles
+ stated that the refrigerated beef furnished
TO- the troops was apparent lyS chemically
treated. It does not appear that when
ing been already made to him in August,
lS9S that Gen. Miles communicated to the
secretary of war or to the commissary gem
him that refrigerated meat, dangerous to
health, was issued every day to the troops,
in failure to do which there was derelictfon
OF duty. 1t Is true that on September 20
ne mad directed that an order should be
issued asking for reports relative to meats
canned fresh roast beef and nothing else,
and it was the reports received in answer
to this that were presented in abstract by
the general at the time of his appearance
oe1ore the commission and since.
DIR. Daily Criticized.
.In his report DR.. DAILY does not make the
aii-important statement that he had al
ready. chemically analysed any meat. al
though he suggests that such analysis
should be made. He does state that in the
several inspections made by him at Tampa,
Jacksonville, Chickamauga and Porto Rico
the 9esf to be
that at Ponce the beef he examined was
also of the same character. being apparent
months, as it appears, DIR. DAILY concealed
the commission of crime affecting men
under his charge, whom as an officer and
physician he was bound to protect
The report thei. after quoting from the
regulations of the agricultural depart
ppsssribng the manner in which In
in the country Is allowed to do business
without governmental inspection), after de-
Gals and showing the practical impossi-
bility of putting impure meat upon the
market .ark goes s.; on to, to say;
to merely verbal or written proof. Inn
media dat e upon o hearing the testimony Of
ere sent to all issuing ccmmissaries in
Cuba. Porto Rico and at the various home
camps OCCUPIED by troops. asking that
taken, placed in glass jars. securely sealed
and forwarded to the commission. These
samples We're to be OF one pound weight
from the inside of quarter. In response
to this request many samples have been
the agricultural and interior departments
for careful chemical examinati ton. The re-
suit of analysis has been reported to US in
g cases, and, as will be seen by the reports
appended. in no specimen examined has
either horic or salicylic acid or other dele
FERROUS chemicals been found.
No "Embalmed" Beef.
'In view of the facts above set forth the
frigerated beef furnished by contractors
and issued to the troops during the war
with Spain, was subjected TO or treated
with amy chemicals by the contractors or
those in their employ.
Medical Department..
This important part of the report is dwelt
upon at great length by the commission
and must be read in its complete form to
be properly understood. A glance at the
! commissions summing up, however. will
sufficiently indicate its nature:
'InaL the nursing force during Ine
months of May, June and July was neither
ample nor efficient, reasons for which may
be found in the lack of a proper volunteer
hospital corps, due to the failure of con-
gress to authorize its establishment and
to the nonrecognition in the beginning OF
the value of women nurses and the extent
/ to which their services could be secured.
THAT the demand made upon the re-
sources of the department in the care of
the sick and wounded was very much
greater than had been anticipated, and
consequently, in like proportion. these de-
mands were i'm Hsrfectly met
"That, powerlesS as the department was
to have supplies transferred from point
to point, except through the intermedia-
ton of the quartermaster's department, 1t
was seriously crippled in it's efforts 10 full
fill the regulation duty of furnishing all
!, medical and hospital supplies
THAT the shortcomings in admtn1stra-
! ton and operation may justly be attributed
! In large measure to the hurry and confu-
! sion incident TO the assembling OF an army
! Of unframed officers and men ten tunes
larger than before, for which no prep
arations in advance had been or could be
made because of existing rules and regula-
tions.
''That Notwithstanding all the manifest
errors, of omission rather than of COM
mission. vast deal of good work was done
by medical officers, high and low. resular
and volunteer, and there Were unusually
few deaths among the wounded and the