Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-06-14


IA; a series OF highly interesting experiment,
Mn Nm o"gs mas been lately made bv Pct
1oI, and IN the Scientific Aneyicaa Of Feb
80, detailed account 10 given. The di.clo..
49, es are so unpleasant and startling. coming
In" >. - tney 90, to every one, that We be-.
~. '"ey should be given the greatest pub.
purify our articles of kitchen nae .hn,a% :. :.
ceive the support Of every thinking man md
woman There has been too much ;nd;oar
ence on this subject-an indifference ,bs, ha,
resulted in Americans earning the ti,ie NJ 80
race OF dyspeptics." Poison, wear after wear
introduced :, into the stomach with a crimi.
'~' "isiegard to consequences that is appall.
ug; IL every purveyor of domestic subtle,
viii carefully consider the result of DIR. Nor.
experiments, as detailed in the Seienti6r Am.
eTte0n, one Of the greatest, if not the great.
est, OF these evils will be corrected.
Dr. Mott says: ''The introduction Of ain p,
IN nour, for various purposes, has been !,
TICK OF the baker for the past 100 wear.
:, fortunately for society, its introduction i,
united now to few interruptions bakers.
In England. France and Germany it is an of.
tense punishable by fine and imprisonment
20 use alum IN any connection with articles
OF 1000. 1t should be so in America"
Inc Royal Baking Powder COMPANY. of
TINS cry: long established corporation, eel
eprAtea Tor the absolute purity Of their goods,
some Time ago commenced q vigorous war
fare against many of their competitors who
were indulging in hurtful adulteration. The
contest excited great interest in scientific cir
cies, IN which Prof. Angel, DIR. Mott. and
otnsr Leading lights took very prominent
part. The experiments Of DIR. Mott are re-
suit OF this discussion, and 20 to prove con-
ciuslvely that the most dangerous adultera-
ton that community has to guard agains. is
alum IN baking powder. In his paper the
Doctor says: ut was with difficulty found
a suitable place to conduct the experiments
so that the animals would not disturb the
neighborhOod; but, through the courtesy of
the Commissioners of the Dock Department,
l secured shed on their premises, foot Of
Sixteenth-street and East River. This shed
| had completely remodeled into suitable
house, having the dimensions of about
l6xl4xl2 feet. Sixteen stalls were made in
side, having the dimensions of 3 I-2x2x2 l-2
feet. The bottom Of each compartment was
cove red with straw. making a pleasant bed
for the dogs. | then secured l6 dogs from
the Pound, which were all carfully examined
to see If they were in perfect state of health
None but the strong, healthy dogs were Sc
lected. The breed, age. food, color, and
weight of every dog was carefully noted
Each dog was then confined to a stall and Sc
curely chained, and they all received num-
Der, from to l6. commenced my expert
ments on the 9th of September, and finished
Dec. 3. My assistant was with the dogs from
morning until night, and never left the ami
mails without first securely boiling and lock-
ing the d0g-house. No stranger was allowed
to enter the. house unaccOmpanied either by
myself or my assistant, and the dogs never
received mouthful of food or anything else
from any one except from my assistant or
myself. l will now detail the result of my
experiment:
"Dog No. breed of dog, coach. Age
year. Health, perfect. Food, bread and
crackers. Color, spotted black and white
Weight, IS pounds.
"To this dog, on the morning Of the 9th
Of September, was given eight biscuits at
8 10 o'clock. The biscuits were made by
myself as follows One quart sifted -four.
20 teaspoons alum baking powder, 2 cups
water tablespoon butter, % biscuits made,
weighing p ounces; time Of baking, 20 min
utes.
"At II 80. just three hours and twenty
minutes, the dog was taken very sick, vomit
ing profusely; his vim and brightness of eve
had departed, and he trembled considerably
in his limbs"
Experiments were then made upon three
dogs with biscuits containing only 10 tea
spoons of alum baking powder. The result
indicated that some animals are more liable
to yield to the effects Of poisonous substances
than others are When, on the other hand,
three other dogs were FED with biscuits made
with pure cream of tartar baking powder, no
i'll effects were experienced. They ate and
ate with an evident relish, day after day, and
even whined for more.
1t was next necessary to discover what eff
feet alum has on the solvent power of the
gastric Juice. In order to procure some pure
gastric Juice. a curious device was resorted
to- Dr. Mott sent several dogs to Prof Ar
mold, Medical Department of the University
of New York, who inserted small metallic
tube directly through the skin and into the
stomach of each one of them, when the dogs
were in a perfectly healthy condition. frof.
Arnold sent to DR.. Mott some gastric juice.
which was produced by tickling the Innings
of the stomachs of the dogs with feather
or glass rod. which caused the gastric juice
TO flow out of the tube into receptacle
placed underneath the dog to receive it.
DR.. Mott. aided by Professor Schneider, then
began some experiments with the four
samples of gastric juice. which he had re-
cciyed from Prof Arnold. to discover the eff
feet of gastric juice in which alum had been
dissolve upon fibrine. white very easily
dicested substance having a basis Of coagu-
lated blood The fbrine was imperfectly d.
pestesl. and the experiments were very I'M
norfant. no showing that alum can check the
digestion of so easily a digestcd substance
as fibrine. They indicate. therefore: how
dangerous it is to introduce these two salts IN
10 our stomachs, if We do not wish to excite
indigestion and dyspepsia. Further expert
ments Shove that the digestive power OF the
gastric iujce is entirely destroyed by ALUM
90 far MS its power Of dissolving the more IN
a;yest;ble substances, like the boiled white OF
an egg. is concerned. =.
DR. Mott then determined to learn whether
.l.mina could be found in the various organs
of the body if dog was fed with hydrale o.
,junina. He found considerable quantity
Of the stuff in the blood, liver. kidneys, and
heart. 9Th, a.. AZ.
far.ut symptoms exhibited by these dogs =.
thew passed through almost every phase OF
animal agony until they were left in com
nlete state Of physical prostrafion. 10 .nose
especially interested in the details OF tn,s
sub;cct the article in the Scientific America"
smnnlemeut will give most complete in'o..
nation. and we will spare the sympatneus
40