Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-09-17
FOOD.

JAE SOBJEOl Of lMG ORG Dhh1NN
POWDERS. THE EVIL IN A RADICAL
FORM.
(Frono San Francisco Daily CaU)
The frightful and dangerous adulter-
ations practiced by baking powder
manufacturers is exciting an increased
and widespread alarm among consum-
ers. The evil has attained greater
dimensions than the most extreme
alarmist could have imagined.
In city like New Y rk, Govern
ment Chemist makes an analytical ex-
animation, and discloses the fact that
the very large proportion of powders
sold there are made of alum. The
action Of alum on the human stomache
is precisely the same as on the mouth;
it draws and Fuckers it all up, produc-
ing all sorts of unpleasant and danger
Gus disorders. In Germany, England
and France, any one found manufactur-
ing or selling alum powders is subject
to a heavy fine and Imprisonment, but
in this State Of California may be found
hundreds of brands made of this pois-
onous chemical. Pure baking pow
ders should be made Of grape cream
tartar, which costs from thirty to forty
five cents per pound Many irrespon-
sible and reckless manufacturers make
this important domestic article from
alum, which costs but three cents a
pound The Royal Baking Powder
Company, of New York, wealthy
and honorable corporation, the largest
consumers Of cream grape tartar in the
world in their efforts to introduce
their goods on this market were con-
fronted by an army of alum powders,
which We're saping and undermining
the health of this community. If the
average citizen were told that his oft
repeated attack Of dyspepsia, consti-
patton, heart burn, etc., arose from
useing an impure and poisonous baking
powder, he would probably pass it by
as an idle, sensational assertion yet
such is the fact.
Did any one Of our lady readers
in her purchases of domestic supplies,
ever notice that her grocer had nearly
always a brand of powders put up
under his own name r
4 If she had an analysis from accom-
!. petent chemist, it would tell her that
in nearly every case she was being
offered poison in its most dangerous
and Subtle form not poison that
quickly kills-for the dose is not large
enough-but poison that will slowly
and surely undormind the health Of
her little ones. The question arises
why do grocers have their powders plt
t up under their own name, instead q
having some well known, pure and re
9 liable brand Of powder? It is simply
1 because their profit is larger in this
, way. Their powder is made Of alum
0 at one-eighth the cost Of a cream tar
e tar powder and they are enabled tt
: sell it in competition with an homes
. article like the Royal Baking powder
and make an enormous profit. Nearly
all the powders sold by the grocerymel
IS of this city, under their own Names ar
: made by prominent manufacturer
g here, and are composed of alum, anc
the only safeguard a housewife has, j
: to buy an honest cream tartar powde
II made by some responsible manufac
C turer A series of researches on tn
t part of Professor Hanks, the Stat
. Chemist, shows that out of ten differ
ent private corner grocery brands
. selected at random, every one contain
IS ed alum or other impurities, and eigh
/ were short weight, some of them thirty
: five per cent. The names of thes
;, powders are not here given, for it
70 scarcely believed that the groceryme
! were aware of what they were buyin
If and having put up under their ow
N names, but the samples and report
9 are in the possession Of Mr.. Hanks
We make the suggestion to ever
- reader Of this paper, to conside
IS whether the pitiful saving arising frol
n the purchase of cheap baking powde
ID compensates for the loss Of health il
10 Cured. After the repeated warning
i'' of science, any mother who continue
C. the use of these poisonous compound
e. does so with a fearful penalty hangir
to over her head. Go ask your famil
o. doctor if alum baking powders al
2 dangerous, and be guided by his al
49, vice.
i'm In the East, where this subject
he exciting great interest, DR.. Hall
Ter Journal Of Health says, in recel
n issue