Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-01-26
STANDS BY HIS GUNS.
Surgeon DAILY Says His Report to Gen.
Miles Concerning Army Beef WAS =
True Statement.


Washington, Jan. 21.-Maj. w. II.
DAILY, chief surgeon with Gen. Miles,
and whose field service stretches from
Tampa to Porto Rico and whose re-
port condemning the beef furnished
the eXpeditionary forces created SEN
sation some weeks ago, appeared as
witness before the war Investigating
commission Friday. Daly's report
was the strongest in language of those
submitted by Gen. Miles in substan-
tation of his attack on the beef sup
plies The witness identified the re-
port submitted as his own. He was
willing to stand by his report.
At Tampa, on shipboard, he had no.
tced "a quarter of beef hanging free
the sun on shipboard and he be
came interested in the experiment OF
having fresh slaughtered beef placed
under such moist climatic conditions,
to see how long it could stand 1t. Il
observed that the flies, especially the
bull flies, did not affect it, did not
alght on it, or if they did they got
away from it very quickly. He had
cut off piece of that beef at Tampa
and cooked it, but it neither smelled
nor tasted naturally"
DR. DAILY said the attempt to pre-
serve the beef by chemicals was not
a success. That had been his expert
ence on the transport Panama, in the
beef carried by which ship he was
"pretty sure chemicals were involved"
That beef he said, was very foul.
Most of the beef was refrigerated and
it had decidedly peculiar odor. AT
Ponce" he said, Il observed the re-
frigerated beef taken from the trans
ports. 1t had a peculiar odor. | OBJ
served the examination of spoiled beef
on one transport. 1t was done by a
butcher down in the hold. He thrust
his arm in every direction into the
putrid meat, trying TO find solid
piece. This meat had the same pecu-
liar odor.'
On the Panama, coming over from
Ponce, he had made some soup from
the refrigerated beef, the same that
had been condemned; had filtered it
and sealed 1T hermetically in a can,
and when he reached his home in
Pittsburg had analyzed 1T. From this
he got a lightish brown residuuum.
This, he said, disclosed the character
isticss of borax and salicyclc acid.
DR. Daily explained the process of
treating beef chemically. The boracic
acid or salicylic acid, he said, was
sprinkled upon the meat in the shape
of powder and that which would not
adhere was brushed off. The meat
was then hung in a room, where it
was kept cold by means of ammonia
or salts This was one means Of pre-
serving meat, but there were other
methods. The substance placed upon
the surface of the meat penetrated it's
inner tissues and there chemical
changes took place.
DR.. DAILY also explained the methods
of embalming human bodies. The
common method vase to use bOracic
acid, salicylic acid or glycerine.
Mr.. DENLY asked DR.. DAILY whether
in his opinion an officer had performed
his duty when knowing the beef sup
piled the army was detrimental to
health he had concealed that fact and
had not reported for many weeks.
Dr. DAILY replied that he had report
ed upon the facts in a regular way
and after mature deliberation. He
could not. he said, '1howl about it to
any and every one he met"