The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1882-07-06

A New Baking Powder Alleged to
Contain Alum. An Old Estab.
lished Reputation the Best Guar
ahtce.
Pioneer Press.
"A prominent newspaper recently al
legged that the "Snow Flake" baking pow
der, made in St. Paul, and offered for
sale throughout the Northwest, contained
alum. 1t is not our present purpose to
inquire whether these charges are true
or not, as that is question for the chem
ISIS to- determine, and the
investigations that are likely to fol-
low will undoubtedly show whether this
drug IS. as charged, a component part of
the ''Snow Flake powder. We cite the
case rather for the purpose of calling at
tent1on to the interest that has been
awakened by the circumstance, as indie
alive, of the increased sen ,ibilty of the
public upon the question of danger aris-
ing from the use of alum baking powders
IN the preparation of food. This is a SUBJ
]eect for every day thought and discus
sion
While it may be a question whether
or not it is used III the "Snow Flake" it
lisa we'll known fact that alum is, on &C.
count OF its cheapness, largely employed
IN the compromising of many
Of the new brands Of baking powders
Onscrupuious manufacturers who desire
to reap all the profits possible from
these powders for the short period dur
ing Which they know they can be foisted
upon the public, will naturally use the
cheapest materials they can procure.
Alum costs but 5 cents pound, while
cream of tarter costs from 50 to 40. The
lnducement to the business adventurer,
who has no reputation to maintain and
Is looking only for the present profit,
when he finds that he can with this stiff
make a powder at one-eighth the
cost of q reputable article, is
too great to be resisted. These powders
and town, and are the source ofimmense
danger to the public. When they are
discovered their proprietors are very apt
to fight those who have exposed them
with the desperation of a bafiled burglar
who suddenly finds Ills hopes OF prospec-
tive swag vanish into thin air.
1t is hardly necessary to recapitulate
the evil effects of alum upon the human
system. 1t is we'll understood to be in
furious in high degree. DR.. Waller of
the New York board of health, in a
warning to the public against the use
Of these alum baking powders, stated
that the action of the alum in the stom-
ach was precisely the same as in the
mouth; it draws and Fuckers it up pro-
ducing unpleasant and dangerous disor-
ders, dyspepsia, constipation, heartburn,
ETC.. Through the exposure
made by the Royal Baking Powder
company of New York, which originally
brought to light this practice of substi-
tutlng alum for cream of tartar, the
business was for time largely checked,
particularly in the east, where the high
demned the practice in the strongest Ian
guage and earnestly seconded the efforts
of the Royal Baking Bowder company to
suppress it. 1t now seems to be cropping
out again in some section of the west.
AT the time of the original exposure,
Or: Mott, government. chemist, analysed
forty:two different samples Of baking
more than one-ha1f of them to contain
alum or other injurious Ingredient; and
it is only fair to say, in passing, he found
also that the Royal Baking Powder stood
the test, and in his report to the govern
ment placed it at the head of the list for
purity and strength. The St. Paul, Snow
Flake" being then in existance,
did not undergo this conical
test of the government chemist, and
therefore we are without this valuable
testimony as to whether it is an alum
powder. There can be no doubt but that
If what the newspaper charges is true,
and that "Snow Flake" is only guise
for "Alum Flake" the fact will be re-
vealed when the government chemist
again takes up the subject of bsking
powders. In the meantime the safety
of the public lies in the use only Of
those baking powders of highest charac-
ter and old established reputation.