Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-05-14
WE'LL FOUNDED ALARM.
The Press and Scientists on the Timel.
Question of Food AduIteraticn.

The Press and Scientists on the Timely |
Question of Food AduIteration.
The frightful and dangerous adulterations
practiced by baking powder manufacturers
is exciting an increased and widespread
alarm among consumers The evil has
attained greater dimensions than the most
extreme alarmist could have imagined
The San Francisco Daily Bulletin, COM
menting on this subject, gives the follow
ing:
In city like New York, 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 it draws and Fuckers it all up, pr =
ducing all sorts of unpleasant and danger 4
Gus disorders. In Germany, England and
France, any one found manufacturing q
selling alum powders is subject to 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 grape
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 Com
pany of New York, wealthy and honor
able corporation, the largest consumers of
grape cream tartar IN the world, IN their
efforts to introduce their goods on this mar
ket, were confronted by an army of alum
powders, which We're sapping and under
mining the health of this community. II
the average citizen were told that his oft
repeated attack of dyspepsia, constipation,
heartburn, ETC., arose from using an I'M
pure and poisonous baking powder, he
would probably pass it by as an idle, sensa-
tionaI assert lion; 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 brand
OF powders put up under his own pane?
IF she had an analysis from a competent
chemist it would tell her that in nearly eve
ry case SHE WAS BEING OFFERED POISON in its
most dangerous and subtle form; not poison
that quickly kills-forsthe dose is not large
enough-but poison that will slowly and
surely undermine the health of her little
ones. The question arises, why do grocers
have their powders put up under their own
name, instead of having some well known,
pure and reli,ble brs nd of powder? 1t is
simply because their profit is larger this
| way. Their powde: is made of alum, at
one-eighth of the co t of cream tartar DOW
der, and they are abe to sell it in competi-
ton with au honest sriicle Ike the Royal Bak-
iog Powder, eud make al enormous profit.
Nearly al the powders sold by grocerymen
of this city, Under their own name, are
MADE by prominent manufacturers here,
| Il, Al
safeguard housewife has is to buy an
{ honest cream tartar powder made by some
responsible manufacturer
"A series of researches 10 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, aud eight were short weight,
some of them thirty-five per cent The
names of these powders are not here given;
! for it is scarcely believed that the grocers
were aware of what they were buying and
/ having put up under their own names, but
| the samples and reports are in possession of
! Mr.. Hanks.
"We make the suggestion to every reader
| to consider whether the pitiful saving aris
| ing from the purchase of cheap baking
| powd-r compensl tes 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
a fea full penalty hanging over her head
Go ask your family doctor if alum baking
| powders are dangerous, and be guided by
| his advice"
! In the Eas3, where this subject is exciting
| great interest, DR.. Halls Journal of Health
says, IN recent issue
| ftRaf0ra committing ourselves howaver
we made tests OF sufficient number of
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 Rowder confirms our belief
that DIR. Mott, the former Government
Chemist, when he singled out and COM
mended this powder for its whoesomeness
did it 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 endeavor-
ing to protect"
DR.. Edward G. Love- the present analyti-
cal chemist for the government, says the
New York Tribupe, December II, $780, has
recently made some interesting experiments
as to the comparative value of baking pow
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, tests were directed solely
! to ascertain the available gas of each pow
der.
1t is proper to state that all the powders
examined were from the open market, and
that the original labels were in every case
broken by DIR. Love himself.
Strength.
Name of the Cubic Inches Gas
Baking Powders. per each ounce of powder.
Royal (cream tartar powder)...... 1874
| i'Sterlinpn (tartNric ACID powder1 125 12s