West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-04-25
Is ALUl TOI8ONO USP

d.. Halls Jo'amaI of Hcalh in a 70
cent issue, SAYS:
This question has caused good deal
OF discussion. Alum is used by many
bakers to whiten their bread. enabling
them - use an inferior -four. 1t isnore
extensively employed as q cheop substi~
tutc for cream of tartar i'm the manufact-
u'e "t baking powders. 1t has not been
considered Immediately dangerous; al
though If continued It induces dyspepsia
aud obstinate constipation. But the fact
that many cases of poisoning have occur
red from baking powders which contain
sd aum, nuts the question ina moro ser
ious aspect. and prudent people will OK
erciso caution i'm tho selection Of baking
powders.
Under what conditions, then, does
this ubstaEco-lormorly used unlv for
mochanical or meiiciHsl purposes he
come poisonous? They arc certainly oh.
scurc, and at present we can only sur~
misc what they may be. Wo suspect
that the cause exists in the individual
poisoned some pecr liarity of tho consu-
tuition producing "A morbid change in Tho
sec. otiOuS 81 tho stomach. with which the
alum combines and iorms an ac,ice poi L.
son; or tho socrctious may be LealtHv
but IN uLCSual prOpnruOus. and thai
these less or greater proportions, in com
DindIion with the alum, constitute q, poi~
son.
"For Example, two parts of mercury
and two parts OF chlorine io!m ctloincl.
which IS not poisonous; but change tho
proportions 10 one part OF mercury and
NO parts ofchlCriue. and woset corrosive
sHbiimatc, which is deadly poison.
Then, again, No know nothing of tho
causes OF constitutional poculiari.iss. Why
Is II that one person can eat ali Kinds OF
green fruits and Vegetables with imruuI-
ty, while the sumo course might cost
another individual his lifu2 one person
can handle poison Ivy and sumac with,
out boing in tie .ons, affected another
IS poisoned if 10 approaches to within
ten feet Of them, out OF a family resid-
ing La "a matrial district some OF ,lo
| members wiz suffer half tho wear viih
icYer and asuc. w"ilo the others win r.: o.
Ivy excellent health q ring the entire
/ year. Food that are Wholesome To soma
| persons are actually poisonous to others.
This especially true rrgome kinds OF fish.
There IS NO salty in taking alum. into the
stomach, az 1t - shown To- Oe always i'm,
/ furious, and often dangerous. B3kiuy
| powders properly con pounded. and con.
! timing pure croam of tartar instead of
alum, are more cohvcniout than Yeast
/ and hrcad and pastry made with them
| are just as wholesome. and far moro paI-
aiablo. We arc i'm entire sympathy with
/ the manufacturers OF the R.y,d H,li,o
/ Powder who commenced and are vic.
osousiy conducting the war against th,
use OF alpm in baking powders.
! Before committing ourselves b.,,,.
/ ever, wo made tcsjs Ola sufficient r,,,,
! Dor Of baking powder TO SATISFY our>elvs.
/ That the su hstitJtiOn of aluin for cra,,u
/ oi tartar iu their composition bg. ma,
/ been over estimated, while "a caIsr,tI o,
/ miuatiOu of the Royal Baking Pow. q.
! confirms our belief that DR.. Mott thr
J 'OV'inmort Chemist, Nhcu no singled
/ out and commended ,his powder Tor r.
/ Whpio-nWcuc--, tId DO wholly u the i'm.
/ torc-ts OF the public
| I'VE 90 not hesitate to saw that l,
| Royal Etkiug Powder people doscrv,
/ mo grAiitN'o Of iho community whom
/ ihey arc deayoIirg lo protect
/ 'WiII 200, Some pr. miuout mauuCictur.
I ef 90. purc Candles follow ilsir Cxru.tIr
/ 3uI expose Tive secrets orabu~iur.- ma
/ Us dpIur untold mischief Go iitIc chill
I drcn 2'