Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-21
WELL FOUNDED ALARM.
The Press and Scientists on the
Timely Question of Food AduIGera-
tH0n.

The Press and Scientists on the
Timely Question of Food AduItera-
tfon.
The frightful and dangerous authorizations
| pracsiced by baking powder manufacturers
| Is exciting an increased and widespread
| alarm among consumers. The evil has at
| tanned greater dimensions than the most ex-
| treme alarmist could have imagined,
The San Francisco Daily Bulletin, com
| menttng on this subject. gives the following:
"In city like New York, a government
| chemist makes an ANALYTICAL examination.
and discloses the fact that the very large
| proportion Of powders sold there are made
| of alum. The action of alum on the human
| stomach is precisely the same as on the
mouth; 1t draws and Fuckers 1t all up, pro-
| ducing all sorts OF unpleasant and danger
| GUS disorders. In Germany England and
France any one found manufacturing 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 poisonous chemical Pure
| baking powders should be made OF graBe
cream tartar, which costs, at wholesale, from
| thirty to forty. five cents per pound. MANY
| irresponsible and reckless manufacturers
make this important domestic article from
| alum. which costs but three cents per pound.
| The Royal Baking Powder Company Of New
York, wealthy and honorable corporation.
the largest consumers OF grape cream tartar
in the world, in their efforts to introduce
their goods on this market were confronted
by an army of alum powders, which were
sapping and undermining the health of thlz
community. II the average citizen were
told that his Oftrepeated attack OF dyspep-
STA, constipation, heartburn, etc, arose
from using aD impure and poisonous baking
powder, he would probably pass 1t by as an
idle, sensational assertion yet such is the
fact.
'Did any one of cur lady readers, in her
purchases OF domestic supplies, ever notice
that her grocer had nearly always brand
OF powders put up under his own nameg
"lf she had an analysis from q competent
chemist 1t 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 epougn-but poison that will slowly
and surely undermine the health of her little
ones. The question arises, why do gro-
GERS have their powders put up under their
own name, instead Of having some WELL
known, pure and reliable brand of powders
1t is simply because their profit is larger
this way. Their powder is made of alum.
at one eighth of The cost of a cream tartar
powder, and they are able to sell it in COM
petition with an honest article like the
Royal Baking Powder, and make an enor-
nous profit. Nearly all the powders sold
by the grocery men of this city, under their
own name, are made by prominent manu-
facturers here, and are composed of alum.
and the only safeguard q housewife has Is
to buy an honest cream tartar powder made
by some responsible manufacturer.
ga series of researches I'm San Francisco
on the part OF Professor Hanks, the State
Chemist, shows that out OF ten different
private corner grocery brands, selected at
random, every one contained alum or other
impurities, and eight were short weight.
some OF them thirty-five per cent. The
names OF these powders are not here given.
for 1t is scarcely believed that the grocere
were aware Of what they were buying and
having put up under their own names. but
the samples and reports are in the posses.
sion of Mr.. Hanks.
"We make tie suggestion to every reader.
to consider whether the pitifuI saving arfs-
ing from the purchase OF a cheap baking
powder compensates for the loss of health
Incurred. After the repeated warnings of
science, any mother who continues the use
of these poisonous compounds, does SO with
q fearful penalty hanging over her head.
Go ask your family doctor il alum baking
powders are dangerous, and be guided by
his advice"
In the East, where this subject is exciting
great interest, Dr.. HallIs Journal of Health
says. In q recent issue:
before committing ourselves, hoTSever
we made tests of a sufficient number al
baking powders to satisfy ourselves that the
substitution Of alum for cream OF tartar IN
their composition has not been over-esti-
mated. while careful examination OF the
Royal Baking Powder confirms our belief
that DIR. Mott, the former Government
Chemist, when he singled out and com
mended this powder for its wholesomeness.
did 1t wholly in the interest Of the public.
We do not hesitate to say that the ROYAL
Baking Powder people deserve the gratitude
OF the community whom they are endeayor-
ing to protect"
DR.. Edward G. Love, the present Analyti.
cal Chemist for the government, saws fha
New York Tribune December II, 1880. has
recently made some interesting Experiments
as TO the comparative value OF baking DOW
ders. DR.. Loves tests were made to deter
mine what brands are the most economical
to use. And as their capacity lies in their
leaVening power, tess wera directed solely
to ascertain the avsilable gas of each DOW
der.
Il is proper to state that all the powders
examined were from the open market, and
that the original labels wera A. ~ case
broken by DI. Love himself.