The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-05-10
NO PHYsIc WITH OUR FOOD.
A Phosphate Baking Powder Theory
that is Dangerous il not Ridiculous.

That il rather a dangerous prOpo-
sition. put forth by the manufacture
ers Of some Of the patented or propri-
etary articles Of food. that theirp-od.
uctS possess 4 superior wholesome
ness because they contain drug OF
some particular medicinal property.
phosphates alum. lime. arsenic. Gale
mel. etc. have their places as specifics
for different diseases. and are invalu-
able medical remedies, each III it,
place. Hut they are not cure alIs.
The physician who should prescribe
either calomel. or strychnine, or rhr-
barb three times day TO man. wonl-
an and child. sick or well. because
either of such drugs is a well known
remedy for some certain diseases.
would receive hut little honor from
the fraternity and less practice from
the community.
No one will controvert this state
nlent: vet we find manufacturers Of
baking powders claiming superior
hygienic virtue for their productions
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 ami
nals) into the food, although well
aware. as they must be Of the fact
that with the constant use OF such
article this drug must pass into our
systems daily. no matter what may be
our physical conditions or require
mems. or whether or not we may he
suffering FROM some ailment wherein
the use of such drug would be posi-
lively detrimental. Both alum and
phosphates are useful medicaments
in certain diseases; but they should
no more he taken Unfortunately
day after day and without the pre-
scription of physician. than arsenic.
aconite or calomel; indeed. there are
with women, when the prudent phys
ician would be loath to permit the use
Of lime phosphates even as a medicine.
The fallacy of this claim OF the
manufacturers OF phosphate bak-
ing powders will be apparent to all
when the fact. well known to physi-
clans. is stated, that in average health
and with ordinary food the body gets
more phosphates than are required
or can be assinilated, as is evidenced
by the fact that they are constantly
being expelled in the excretiOns, both
solid and liquid: likewise the state
ment that it is necessary to add phos-
pilates to baking powder to restore to
the -four those which have been lost
in the milling, for it is true that fine
flour as at present made actually con.
tains 4 larger percentage Of phos-
pilates than the grain Of wheat itself.
The object of baking powders is not
to provide the body with a medicine,
but simply to yesiculate or make light
the mixture OF -four. SO as to render il
when baked easy of mastication and
perfectly digestible. The most cele
brated experts in the business have
worked for the perfection Of an article
that should do this mechanically, al
ding to or taking from the flour moth.
ing nor in any way etIectinga change
i'm its properties or constituents
When this has been done the perfect
leayening agent has been discovered
The manufacturers of the Royal Bak
ing Powder have succeeded in this sc
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 resi-
dunn from it has been reduced to a
minimum. The acid employed. how.
ever. to produce this result is not
phosphate, but the acid of highly re.
fined cream of tartar, which, the
health authorities agree. renders that
powder perfectly pure and more re-
liable and healthful than any other
The recent official tests show, on the
other hand. that the best the pllos-
phatic baking powder makers can do
is to produce an article that is one
third or more residuum or impurity.
We want our food pure; especially
do we not wish to take alum. lime and
phosphates with it at the dictum Of
manufacturers who may find it cheap
er to claim a virtue for the impurities
than to remove them.