The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-23
ct don't know that, he did"

have you found to be the practice
among the butchers of Chicago as to the
use of preservatives?
''They don't use preservatives very
much; for certain classes of meat they
use some preservatves: in fresh beef
there is not much need for preserva-
tives. Meat that has been kept for
time and exposed once or twice becomes
slightly tainted and that is frequently
removed with bicarbonate of soda and
sometimes by dipping pieces of meat in
to a hot solution and then placing It
Immediately back in the refrigerator.
A hot solution of boracic acid, which
simply coats the outside, will remove
the taint from the meat"
Were either of these samples tend
cred you by any one connected with a
packing house?"
Il was not at liberty to inquire into
the matter; l was simply consulted as
a scientist on that subject
Had you any occasion to think or
suspect that they came from a pack
ing house?'
We'll, l don't believe a scientific man
is expected to go into those supposabie
things
General Davis: '1n what quantities
did you find chloride of sodium and
saltpetre in the canned beef you eX-
amined?"
sis, but there was a large amount
more than ordinarily used in cooking.
Dr. Murdock, in reply to questions
by Major Lee said: Il can see how a
coating of some preservatlve could de-
lay the tainting of the outside of the
meat, If it was exposed to the sunshine
in a moist climate and a low altitude.
If something of that kind is not used
/ cannot see how meat can be kept
great length of time in moist climate,
and if that outside coat was cut away
I it would not affect the value of the
| meat as a ration.
.How long would refrigerator beef
| that had been refrigerated a consider
| able length of time keep after it had
| been removed from the refrigerator in
hot climate and a low altitude with
| out artificial coating?"
My opinion is that it could not keep
| more than a few hours; six or eight
I hours"
| Have you ever found horse flesh
| put up in cans and sold on the market
| here in Chicago?"
| Not put up in cans, but l have had
| samples brought to me purporting to
be fresh beef from the market and have
found some of these samples to be horse
| flesh instead of beef. l had no means
| of knowing whence they came. An in
| vestigation with that result once led
the health department to suppress an
| establishment in the outskirts of Chi
| cago.'
William ]. Griffin, sergeant of COM
| pany F, acting sergeant major of the
I'd battalion, testified that at Jacksonville
the refrigerated beef had to be fire.
| quently rejected: it looked good, but
when cut open it had a peculiar odor.
| a nauseating stencil. On one occasion a
| fresh beef stew was served and imme-
| diatey thereafter the entire company
| II RAJ !
| and diarrhea. For two weeks after
ward three men out of the company
| was the maximum fit for duty. With
| in six weeks three men died, and al
though the records showed they died
from fever, witness said he knew that
| the sickness from this meat was what
| killed them. This meat had to be
brought two miles and a half from the
point of issue, which took about half
an hour. An investigation was made
of the beef which made the company
| sick, but with what result witness could
| not say.
Dr. John G. Burne of Chicago, who
was assistant surgeon of the End Illinois
volunteers while the regiment was at
Jacksonville, stated that he had con-
demned the refrigerator beef several
| times before it left the wagon which
brought it. He had also returned some
| of it to the cars, taking it back in
wagons and telling the agent of Swift
& Co. that he could not use it. He had
refused the meat seven times in one
month on account of the bad odor and
bad taste. The men complained bitterly
that they could not eat it.
| Colonel Davis: Had you occasion to
believe or suspect that the Swift refrig-
orator beef had been chemically treated
with a view to its preservation
THAT had never been suggested to me,
but it occurred to me when I used it,.
The only ground for that belief was in
it's taste and appearance after it had
been removed from the car. 1t had a
deadened, peculiar appearance, and !
| wondered whether any chemicals had
| been used
First Lieutenant Hedekin of the Sd
| cavalry testified that the principal meat
ration in Cuba was refrigerator beef.
The complaint against it was that it
was rotten.
Colonel Davis asked the witness if he
had any reason to believe or suspect
that chemicals had been used in pre-
serving the refrigerated beef.
'"rhe night after ] joined my troop
| refrigerator beef appeared on the table
in the form of steaks. That was the
first l had seen. Upon tasting it I re-
marked that it had a peculiar taste,
which | had never noticed before in
beef | ate very heartily of it. That
night / had diarrhea, which developed
shortly afterwards into dysentery and
I was unable to ascribe the disease to
any other cause"
What led you to ascribe the pecu-
liarty to preservatives?
The fact that the meat was different
from any that | had ever tasted and
that it made me sick
w. A. Robinson. travelling represen,
tative of the chemical firm of Charles
Pfzer & Co, New York, testified that
he formerly had solicited orders and
sold chemicals to the packing trade
The witness said il was within his
knowledge that his firm sells to packing
houses large quantities of boracic aciC
| and other acids, but that SO far as he