Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-10-05
why we are sick,

No device that can add to the comfort aud
convenience Of dwelling is omitted in our
modern architecture, and money is not regard
cd when the luxury of clothing or beauty OF
personal Rdornment is in question Hence
we all live in better houses and wear better
clothes than did our forefathers. Why should
we not take the same better care OF our
health Why should dyspepsia, and the train
Of diseases that follow it, almost unknown in
the olden time, be 30 prevalent now? Simp-
ly because Of the poisonous and indigestible
trash which in these days is forced upon the
public as genuine food, or used to adulterato
those articles that go to make up the daily bill
OF fare Of every household Our forefathers
were content to make money by plain aud
honest methods but the hot competition of
the present day and the strife for rapid riches
have called forth all the ingenuity of modern
science to devise cunning receptions that shall
enable the avaricious dealer to more rapidly
increase his profits, even though he destroy
the health of the public thereby. The conso.
quence is aduterated, impure, poisonous and
bogus food on every hand.
The people buy these aduterated articles
of food because they are cheap entirely iguo-
rant of their poisonous qualities. A few years
ago this evil reached such alarming proper.
tions in England that the public sentiment
demanded legislative Interference and purlia
ment enacted the most severe impressive
laws. Or Small T. S. A., after an examina-
ton recently made under the direction of the
War Department, concludes that the adulter-
ton of food is as great in this country to. day
and of as dangerous character, as it WAS in
England at the time referred to. No article
entering so generally into the food of every
family has been found more yillainously Rdul-
terated than baking powder For the pur-
| pose of undertaking an absolutely pure pow
! der like the "Royal'-whch has become the
standard for purity and strength in baking
| powders-hundreds of dealers are putting up
baking powders with cheap and adulterated
cream of tartar containing lime, EARTH etc,
adding strength by the free use of alum.
| These powders are sold cheap, but their use
| is expensive for they are one Of the chief
causes of the dyspepsia from which the Amer
lean people are suffering. This species of
adulteration, at least, can be avoided by fol-
lowing the advice of Prof. Mott, the chemist
to the government, who recommends consum -
ers when purchasing baking powders to Sc
lect one standard powder, as the Royal Bak-
ing Powder, rather than to risk purchasing
adventurous compounds put upon the market
by persons who have no higher motive than
dollars and cents"
We hope to see Congress take hold Of this
important matter in a sufficiently vigorous
manner to put an end to the whole nefarious
business. In the mean time, il people will be
careful to buy the best and purest food as
! they are to wear the best clothes and build
most comfortable houses, it will not be neces.
sary to ask so frequently the question, why
are we sick? Every scientific test has prov
en- the Royal to be pure and wholesome.