The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-04-26
DANGEROUS room ADuLrERATloN
The Fraudulent Use Of Alum ana Lime
IN Cheap baking Powders.

II fconsumers prefer to buy an adulterat-
ed article Of food because 1t can he had at
lower price they undoubtedly have the
right to do so, provided the adulterants
are not of character injurious to health.
II such articles are not falsely sold as pure
and the customer is not deceived as to
their real character, the transaction is not
Legitimate.
But the great danger in the traffic 10
adulterated food arises from the deception
that Is practiced by manufacturers usually
CHASING such goods as pure. This is
almost invariably done when the adulter-
ant Is one that Is injurious to health. For
instance, manu- facturers Of alum and:lime
baking powdersl not only fail to inform
the public Of the real characterIof their
goods, but carefully conceal the fact that
they are made from these poison Gus ar
ticles. Most of these nufscturers also
claim that their articles are pure and
wholesome, while some go still further
and proclaim boldly that they are cream
Of tartar gouds, Or oven the genuine Royal
Baking Powder itself. No consumer will
buy alum baking powders knowingly. for
It is we'll understood that they are detri-
mental to health. The sale Of lime and
alum baking powders as pure and whole
some articles is, therefore, criminal, and
1t Is satisfactory to notice that several
persons engaged in such sale have already
been brought to justice in the courts.
The oficiai analysts have recently been
active In the pursuit of these dishonest
articles. The baking powders of several
States have beenscarefully and critically
examined. The officials are surprised at
the large amount OF lime and alum goods
found. 1t is a suggestive fact that no
baking powder except the Royal has been
found without either lime or alum, and
many contain both. DR.. Prices baking
powder has been found to contain Dearly
IL per cent. of lime; Cleveland's IL per
cent ofimpurities; the phosphate powders
over IL per cent. of lime.
The chief service of lime is to add weight.
It Is true that lime, when subjected to
heat, gives off a certain amount of car
bonic acid gas, but quick lime is left-a
caustic Of most powerful nature. A
small quantity of dry lime upon the
tongue, or in the eye. produces painful
eu0CLSs now uioE0 SCIlouS "uSt
these effects be on the delicate membranes
Of the stomach, intestines and kidneys,
more particularly of infants and children,
and especially when the lime is taken in.
to the system day after day, and with
almost every meal. This is said by
physicians to be one of the causes OF in
digestion, dyspepsia, and those painful,
diseases of the kidneys now 80 prevalent.
Adulteration with lime is quite as much
to oe dreaded as with alum, which has
heretofore received the most emphatic
condemnation from food analysts, pbysi-
clans and chemists, for the reason that,
while alum may be partially dissolved by
the heat of baking, it is impossible to de-
strOy or change the nature of the lime so
that the entire amount In the baking
powder passes, with all its Injurious
properties, into the stomach.
The large profits from the man nufacture
Of lime and alum baking powders has
placed many of them in the market.
They are to be found In the stock OF al
most every retail dealer, and are urged
upon customers calling for baking pow
ders upon all occasions. Because Of their
we'll known detrimental character 1t is de-
sirable that prompt means be taken to
suppress their manufacture.
Pure baking powders are one OF the
chief aids to the cook In preparing perfect
and wholesome food. While those are to
be obtained of we'll established reputation,
like the Royal, Of whose purity there has
never been question, 1t is proper to
avoid all others.