Evening star., 1899-03-31
BEEF Was UNFIT FOR SICK MEN
Did Not Suspect Any Treatment
With Chemicals.
CANNED AND REFRlGE GRATED


army were present, prepared to go on the
stand.
While in Cuba Col. Greenleaf had made
very little observation of the food supply
because his attention was taken up largely
by the yellow fever patients. He had paid
particular attention only to food supplies
furnished the hospitals. While in Porto
Rico he looked into the food supply only in
a general way by inquiring whether the
food was satisfactory. He required his in
spectors to do the same thing. There was
no complaints beyond the character of the
cooks. He didn't think there was any re-
frigerated beef in Porto Rico while he was
there: what they used was what was
known as fresh beef. The canned roast
beef was mot pleasant to the sight and
was mawkish to the taste without condi-
ments-salt and pepper" He thought it
was not detrimental to the health, although
1t was not palatable
1t was reported to him that the sickness
OF the troops was caused by the canned
roast beef. If the meat were spoiled 1t
would produce sickness
The canned roast beef which he used
spoiled in a few hours after being opened.
this being due to the temperature.
When Col. Greenleaf left Porto Rico the
health on that island was very good.
Col. Pope's Testimony.
Lieut. Co. BSnJdIllIl rope, Cnlel
geon of the 5th Army Corps. in Cuba from
about April or May to July 23 went on the
stand.
Col. Pope-"The canned roast beef was
wrongly labeled roast beef, because it is
merely boiled beef. At the time we accept
ed 1t as being part of the ration and
ate 1t well could | must admit
that it has a decidedly unsatisfactory ap-
pearance, lacking any SAVIOR. as it had no
salt in IL. 1t was stringy and seemed to
be covered with sort of suet. A few cans
showed evidences of decomposition by swell
ing.
THE great trouble seemed to be the lack
of facilities for cooking it. 1 saw some of
1t cooked in stews and it was not bad,
but given to the soldier before that
without being cooked it was very-unsatis-
factory 1t had washed-Out appearance.
1t did not occur to at that time, but it
has since, that possibly too much of the
nutritive parts of the beef had been ex-
tIaCted by boiling. 1t looked like beef left
over after making beef tea. In regard to
its nutritive value | received no reports
from medical officers upon the subject at
all, but my personal opinion was it was
very low order of nutrition.
Why Refrigerated Beef Spoiled.
The refrigerated beef we received after
the surrender of Santiago that came under
my observation a headquarters camp was
good after being trimmed up by the cook
The cooks had to trim it good deal to get
off the parts that were spoiled. In talking
with the medical officers L found that the
universal opinion was that the spelling of
the meat was on account of the delay in
its delivery at the various commands.
In regard to the effect Of the ration upon
the health of the command | was unable
TO trace any special diseases directly to
the ration. Intestinal troubles which usual
ly follow the use of decomposed OF bad
beef were not common until the latter part
Of IulV When the fPVerS commenced sick
ness came in a rush
DR.. Pope said, in reply to question that
he had no suspicion that the refrigerated
beef had been chemically treated for its
preservation.
He mad discovered a great many cans of
corned beef labeled as roast beef.
Najor lie Garde's Experience.
Major Louis A. La Garde. surgeon, United
States army, commanding the reserve d
vision hospital of the 5th Army Corps at
Santiago, testified. The canned roast beef
was eaten far he observed without
special objection. The soldiers would not
have selected it if they had had anything
better. They ate it cooked in the form of
hash. They had attributed a great deal of
the intestinal disorders to meat or to the
food supply The meat was not suitable
for that climate. Speaking of the refrig-
Grated beef Major La Garde said:
There was a mold and green scum over
il. which We attributed to cold storage and
being in moist chamber
Col. Davis-''Did you believe some chemi-
cal was used on the meat?''
Major La Garde-''I never did"
Speaking of the canned roast beef. he said
il did not impress him as having no nutri-
tion in il. While il had been boiled. it had
evidently some nutrition left in it. He
said the men might have been weakened or
sckened by eating canned roast beef, but
that was true of any fresh beef in the
tropics.
Canned Beef Was Repulsive.
Capt. y W. Ireland. surgeon. U. s. A,
executive officer at the reserve division
hospital at SibOney, Cuba. testified that he
supplied the hospital at Siboney with pro-
visions. He thought the canned roast meat
was coarse and not acceptable TO the sight
or taste 1t became repuIsive to the men
In very short time. He had never thought
OF chemicals being used on the refrigerated
beef while in Cuba.
Men Threw RatiOns Away
Maj Henry S. Kilbourne. surgeon, United
States army. who commanded the second di-
vision hospital of the 9Th Army Corps in
Cuba throughout the campaign, testified to
having seen the men throwing their rations
away because they Were not inclined to ac-
cept the travel rations food. He had not
attributed the sickness to any particular ar
Ucle of food. except that the food as a
whole was not suitable for men living as
were the soldiers in Cuba. There was no
sickness that he had observed attributed to
the refrigerated beef. He had no reason at
the time to suppose that the beef had been
chemically treated, nor had he since leav-
Ing Cuba The second division was not
supplied with canned roast beef for the
troops.
Capt. HeyI on the stand.
The court took recess and was called
to order at o'clock when Capt A b.
Heyl, assistant surgeon. who was in Cuba
prior to July >, was placed on the stand
The witness had eaten some canned roast
beef in Cuba ON three occasions, and each
time it made him sick and caused him to
vomit. 1t has affected the men in the
same way.
After third attempt he gave up canned
roast beef and confined himself to cocoa
nuts and mangoes and things of that kind
and got along very well till he was taken
of the island sick
Up to the time he left the island. July
.. the men suffered chiefly from stomach
troubles.
Capt. Heyl said the canned roast beef