The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-03-13


Effects. Opinions of Medical Experts
Prompt Action of the Brooklyn
Board OF Health, 81.
Ia order that the people Of the country
may fully understand the causes Of the
present excitement as to the use Of alum
in baking powder, a history of the agitation
is necessary:
In the Scientific american of Nov. Is,
appeared an article by an eminent chemist
OF New York, showing the presence of alum
in large quantities in a number of baking
powders.
This article was copied into many news
papers, creating great excitement in every
household where baking powder was used.
The popular feeling grew so strong that in
the early part of December. at a meeting
of the Brooklyn Board of Health, on mo-
tion Of President Crane, the Sanitary Sup
erintendent was directed to procure sam
pies Of the various kinds OF baking pow
ders sold In Brooklyn, have them analysed,
and make O report thereon to the Board.
Sanitary Superintendent Raymond, NJ.
D. has presented to the Board of Health
substantially the following report of bak-
ing powders and cream Of tartar, and the
effects of alum on the human system:
The digestibility of bread depends in
great measure upon its being porous. 1t
it is compact aud heavy, the digestive Jul
ces are unable to act upon 1T, and 1t re-
mains in the alimentary canal undigested
giving rise to those disaGreeable sensations
all know as indigestion. This porosity is
given to bread by the carbonic acid gas lib
Grated in the process of bread making,
forming throughout the loaf little Yesices
of gas which are held by the gluten of the
-four until the baking has solidi6ed the
mass and made permanent the spaces orr
einally produced by the carbonic acid gas.
This gas is incorporated with the dough in
various ways. 1t may be forced In as is
done in the ''9rated Bread" or the gas
may be formed by fermentation. For this
purpose yeast, a mass of minute vegetable
cells, is employed; this acts upon the sugar
of the flour, converting it into carbonic aciC
gas and alcohol; or again, the carbonic
acid gas may be liberated from some sal
holding it in combination. This is thu
principle involved in the use of baking
powders.
Without going in detail into the consti
tuition Of baking powders. it will only b.
necessary to say that they are made will
bicarbonate of soda, or carbonate of am
monia and cream of tartar, chemical.
known as the bitartrate of potassa. Thes
powders are especially used in making bis
cult aud cakes. Before the days of bakiui
powders, and even now, in many familie
the cream Of tartar and bicarbonate o
soda were purchased separately from tht
grocer, and baking powder extempor-
lied in each kitchen; but the lack of skill
resulting in Jumps OF soda in the product
led manufacturers to ascertain the prope
proportion OF the two salts, and to mi!
them, selling the compound as a bakin
powder. These manufacturers CLAIM
that the cream of tarter sold in the shop
is very variable, and that nothing short O
chemical analysis will determine tn
amount Of cream Of tartar in each sample
that this the householder cannot do him
self, and therefore is unable to combiH
with 1t the proper proportion of soda.
This variability in the quality OF crear
OF tartar needs the chemist to detect il
and the extensive use Of baking powder
would seem to indicate that there is poI
ular demand for them; due to the inabilit,
Of the average cook to make her biscuit
and cakes successfully when she hersei
mixes the cream of tarter and to soda. w
have been unable to find in any drug stor
or grocery good cream Of tarter sold at re
tail for less than 60 cents pound, while i
some places il was as high as IS cents
Some Of the manufacturers, in order t.
supply cheap baking powder, have intro
duced alum as an Ingredient, and thi
seems to be the only satisfactory reaso
for its use that can be given. Bicarbonat
of soda is used in these alum powders, a
10 the others, and car6onic acid gas is sin
ilarly produced.
In many countries alum has long bee
used By bakers in bread making. 1t
claimed that the bread is whittier, and tina
IN inferior quality of -four can b
its use be palmed off on the public a
Of the first quality. The effects OF alum o
the human body are we'll known, and ar
beyond doubt injurious when taken in Iarg
quantities often repeated. All authorize
agree in this and there is no room for di:
cussion
The report Of the Brooklyn Board cor
cludes as follows:
From a careful examination, | am salts
fed that the weight of evidence is again,
the use Of alum in baking powders, an
that the risks incurred in its use of alul
in baking powders, aud that the risks 10
CURED IN its use are too great to be incur7
ed for the sake Of cheapness alone. Tn
mucous membrane Of the stomach and tn
Intestinal canal is u delicate structure, an
materials which would produce 10 effect o.
the outside skin might irritate and Infam
these organs.
The ~ y. EUening Post has been Civ
ing this subject some attention, and ma
published the result of some remarkabl
Investigations, which are worthy the clos
attention of thoughtful people.
From Its recent exposure of the use O
burnt alum in some brands of baking DOW
ders, in place Of cream of tartar, the fol
lowing extracts are mainly taken:
Pursuing the investigation of the quaIit,
oil the food sold in this city, the represen
tative Of the EUeniag Post took up bakinJ
powder as one of the articles in most gen
eral use in our households. 1t is used b
nearly every family in the city, and it i
naturally of great importance to those VIII
eat the food made with it to know Whethe
1t contelns anything injurious to health.
There are certain constituents of goo
baking powder which may be regarded a
entirely free from danger. These consist O
pure grape cream of tartar, bicarhonate O
soda, and carbonate of ammonia. Tn
cream of tartar unites with the other tw
ingredients, and carbonic acid gas
thrown of, producing the same effect a
yeast 10 much shorter time. 1t has bee
found, however, that alum will also unit
with the other two articles. and carboni
acid gas will be produced. As alum cost
less than three cents, while cream of tar
tar costs more than thirty cents pound
IT ls easy to see why alum is substitute