Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-06-01
NO PHYSIC WITH OUR FOOD.
A Phosphate Baking Powder Theory
that is Dangerous If not Ridiculous,


that is Dangerous if not Ridiculous.
That is rather a dangerous propo-
sition, put forth by the manufacturers
of some of the patented or proprietary
articles of food, that their products
possess a superior wholesomenesS be.
cause they contain a drug of some
particular medicinal property. Phos-
pilates, alum, lime, arsenic, calomel
etc, have their places as specifics fol
different diseases, and are invaluable
medical remedies, each in its place.
But they are not cure-aIlS. The ply
stefan who should prescribe either
calomel, or stychnine, or rhubarb three
times a day to man, or women and
child, sick or well, because either OF
such drugs is well known remedy for
some certain disease, would receive but
little honor from the fraternity and
less practice from the community
No one will controyert this state
ment; yet we find manufacturers of
baking powders claiming superior
hygienic virtue for their production
and urging their continuous use be-
cause they are alleged to carry the
phosphate used in making them "a
cheap substitute for cream of tartar,
procured from the bones of dead
animals) into the food, although well
aware, as they must be of the fact that
with the constant use of such articles
this drug must pass into our system
daily, no matter what may be our
physical conditions or requirements,
or whether or not we may be suffering
from some ailment wherein the use of
such drug would be positively detri-
mental. Both alum and phosphates
are useful medicamentS in certain dis
eases; but they should no more be
taken Unfortunately day after day
and without the prescription of a
physician, than arsenic, aconite or
calOmel; indeed, there are conditions
of the system, particularly with women
when the prudent physician would be
loath to permit the use of lime phos-
pilates even as medicine.
The fallacy of this claim of the
manufacturers of phosphate baking
powders will be apparent to all, when
the fact, well known to physicians, is
stated, that in average health, and
with ordinary food, the body gets more
phosphates than are required or can
be assimilated, as is evidenced by the
fact that they are constantly being ex-
pelledin the excretions both solid and
liquid; likewise the statement that it
is necessary to add phosphates to the
baking powder to restore to the flour
those which have been lost in the
milling, for it is true that fine flour
as at present made, actually contains
larger percentage of phosphates than
the grain of wheat itself.
The object of baking powders is
not to provide the body with a
medicine, but simply to vesiculate or
make light the mixture of flour, so as
to render it when baked easy of mas
tication and perfectly digestible. The
most celebrated experts in the business
have worked for the perfection of an
article that should do this, mechanic
ally adding to or taking from the
| flour nothing, nor in any way effect
| ing change in any of its properties
or constituents. When this has been
done the perfect leayening agent has
| been discovered. The manufacturers
of the Royal Baking Powder have
succeeded in this so far as to make a
leavening agent that vesiculates and
raises the loaf most perfectly, and
without changing the properties OF
the flour, while the residuum from il
has been reduced to minimum. The
! acid employed however, to produce
this result is not phosphate, but the
acid of highly refined cream of tartar
which the health authorities agree
renders that powder perfectly pure
and more reliable and healthful thar
any other The recent official test:
show, on the other hand, that the best
the phosphate baking powder maker:
can do is to produce an article that i:
one-third or more residuum or impu
rity.
We want our food pure; especially
do we not wish to take alum, lime anC
phosphates with it at the dictum o.
manufacturers who may find it cheaper
to claim a virtue for the impuritie:
than to remove them.