Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-31
Is Alum Poisonous ,


DIR. Halps Journal Of Health, in a re-
/ cent issue, saws:
"Ihls question has caused a good deal
! OF discussion. Alum is used by many
/ bakers to whiten their bread. enabling
them to use an inferior flour. 1t is more
extensively employed as a cheap substi-
| tute for cream of tartar in the mauufac-
ture OF baking powders. 1t has not been
considered immediately dangerous: al
though If continued it induces dyspepsia
and obstinate constipation. But the fact
that manyl cases of poisoning have oc-
CURED nom baking powders which con-
tanned alum, puts the question i'm a more
serious aspect, and prudent people will
exercise caution in the selection of bak-
ing powders.
''Under what conditions, then, does this
substance-fOrmerly used only for me-
chanical or medicinal purposes-become
poisonous? They are certainly obscure,
and at present we can only surmise what
they may be. We suspect thatthe cause
exists in the individual poisoned-some
popularity of the constitution producing
morbid change in the secretiOns of the
stomach with which the alum combines
and forms an active poison: or the secre-
tiOns may be healthy but in unusual pro-
portions, and that these less or greater
proportions, in combination with the
dluus CONSTITUTE Il poison.
for example, two parts of mercury
and two parts of chlorine form calomei.
which is not poisonous; but change the
proportions to one part of mercury and
two parts of chlorine, and we get cor
rosiye sublimate, which is a deadly
poison.
'Then, again, we know nothing of the
causes of constitutional pecularities
Why is it that one person can eat all
ElnhG n ifs ,k.,1I
impunity, while the same course might
cost another individual his life? One per-
son can handle poison ivy and sumac
without being in the least affected; another
is poisoned If he approaches to within ten
feet of them. Out of family residing in
malarial district, some of the members
will suffer half the year with fever
! and ague, while the others will enjoy
excellent health during the entire
year. Foods that are wholesome TO some
persons are actually poisonous to others.
This is especially true of some kinds of
fish. There is no safety in taking alum
into the stomach, as it is shown to be al
ways injurious, and often dangerous
Baking powders properly compounded
and containing pure cream of tartar in
stead of alum, are more convenient than
yeast; and bread and pastry made with
them are Just as wholesome. and far more
palatable. We are in entire sympathy
with the manufacturers of the Royal
Baking POwder-whn commenced and
are vigorously conducting the war against
the use of alum in baking powders.
"BefOre committing ourselves, however.
we made tests of a sufficient number of
baking powders to satisfy ourselves that
the substitution of alum for cream of
tartar in their composition has not been
over-estimated, while careful examina-
tion of the Royal Baking Powder confirms
our belief that DR.. Mott, the Government
Chemist, when he singled out and COM
mended this powder for its wholesomeness,
did it wholly in the interest of the public.
eve do not hesitate TO say that the
Royal Baking Powder people deserve the
gratitude of the community whom they
are endea Yoring to protect.
"Will not some prominent manufactu-
rer of pure candies follow their example,
and expose the secrets of business that
is doing untold mischief to little children -