Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-01-23
CONDEMNED.
Alum Baking Powders in Court Interesting
Tsstimony Of Scientific Men.

Alum Baking Powders in Court -Interest ting
Tsstimony Of Scientific Men.
New York Times.l
i Within the past two years . Bit
ter controversy Has been waged be-
tween manufacturers, on account
OF the use of alum as o cheap sub
stitute for Cream Of Tartar by
many manufacturer of baking
powders. The handsome profits
yielded by using the substitute
have induced dealers as we'll ss
manufacturers to push them into
the hands of consumers, sometimes
under definite brands, frequently
by Weighing out in bulk, without
any distinguishing name.
Are such powders wholesome? !?
The Royal Baking Powder Co.,
who make o Cream of Tartar bak.
ing powder, declared that they are
Injurious to the public health, while
others who make alum powders,
claim that they are not. The whole
matter as to the effectS6f these
alum powders has finally been
brought into the courts, and the
case was tried In the Superior Court
of New York City, before Chief
Jdstice Sedgwick, reported substan-
tally as follows In the New York
Sun:
CONCLUSION OF A LITTLE TROUBLE
BETWEEN A CHEMIST AND AN
EDITOR.
"The suit of DR.. Henry A. Mott
against Labez Burns has brought
to light the fact that this country
produces at least forty.two differ
ent kinds Of baking powders.
Neither Burns nor Mott has been
found guilty of making the baking
but Burns, who Is the
editor Of periodical called the
Spice MIL, has been severely
for libel In his efforts to
make his paper spicy. DR.. Mott,
1t appears, is chemist, and at one
time was employed by the United
States Government to analyze diff
ferent specimens of baking powder
which had been recommended for
adoption to the Indian Bureau.
DR.. Mott reported In favor of the
cream Of tartar baking powders for
the Indians, and against the alum
powders. The chemist an
alyzed forty-two kinds of baking
powders.
'The jury were out about half an
hour. Then they came in with a
verdict awarding DR.. Mott $1,000,
to which the Court made au addi-
tional allowance Of $3.50"
As the public have q large inter-
est In the whOlesOmeness of what
ever 1t is called upon to use as food,
the following extracts are intro
duced from the testimony Of some
of the prominent men as to the in
furious effects of alum powders.
rR. MORT:
Q. We're you employed by the q. 8.
A. was, sir; was employed as chemist,
to analyze all the articles of food; to ex-
press an opinion as to the analysis Of their
and purity.
@. Please tell the Jury the baking pow.
ders that you examined while in the EN-.
ploy Of the Government?
A. 1t would be difficult to remember
them all; could refer to my books; ex-
amined twenty-eight powders; was given
sixteen at first.
BY the Court;
Give your best recollection.
Y. And one of the powders included was
&C D0olevsa taking powd0f9r
A. Yes, sir.
o. And the "Charm2"
a. \ o. sir; tie "Charm" and "Pataps.
Q. Please state in which powders you
found alumni
A. found alum in "Dooleys," "Pa-
tapsco," "Oharm," "Vienua," ".Orient,"
Amazon, Lake Side, ""Twin sistars,"
''Superlative," king" "Whits Lily"
Monarch. ""One spoon, "Fegal, (" "tm.
perial," "H onest, :" Economical, ""Ex.
celsior. .""o "ohartres, ,""arsut's,"" "diant."
and ths "Queen."
Q. NOW, these powders mentioned in
your communication in the Scientific Amer
ican n-"Dooley's standard" "PAtaps-
90, "Charm" Baking Powders manufsc-
tured BY @. e. Andrews, of Milwaukee,
you stated you found burnt alum; il you
will please name the respective powder
that you have examined-was it potash or
ammonia alum, you found?
A. In the "Patapsco, ""Oharm," and in
the Andrews, it was ammonia alum.
Q: What is the gas usually furnished by
Baking Powders?
A. The object Of Baking Powder is to
furnish csrbonic acid and gas.
Q. will you state to me again what 9TH
er gas besides carbonic acid gas. is proper
kO f~nt I,uE
\. A limited amount Of ammonia gas.
@. notice in your article that you say
starch is proper ingredient to put in y
baking powder?
A. Starch is a propeEingredient to pre-.
vent the decomposition Ut baking pow
ders.
Q. Recurring to the question that has
been Aked you upon this suit-the result
Of these examinations which you have
made-is it your opinion that alum in
these various compounds, in Baking Pow
ders such az you'hsve examined, is inju-
rious?
A. 1t is my opinion, based upon actual
experiments ON living animals.
CHARLES F. CHANDLER. called on behalf
Of the plaintiff, being duly sworn testified
q. DR.. Chandler. you reside in this City
Of New York;
A. do.
@. Your business is that OF chemist?
A. 1t is.
@. You are and have been Professor Of
Chemistry in several colleges?
A. have.
Q. Please state how long that employ
ment Of yourself has been, and with what
colleges you are now connected?
A. am at present Professor Of Chemis7
try in the Academic Department Of Colum-
bia College; the School of Mines, Column
bia College; the New York College OF Ply
ticians and Surgeons and the New York
College Of Pharmacy.
Q. You are President, Also, Of the Board
Of Health, are YOU nots
A. sm,
Q. In your various employmen,s, have
you had frequent occasion to examine the
question Of the wholesomene,s Of food,
aud the beneficial or injurious effects Of
its ingredients2
A. have.
O. will ask you in regard to the use
Of alum with soda, in baking powder,
whether or not it is neatrallzed-is there
any injurious constituent of alum left