The times., 1888-04-20
NO azYs1os WITH oUa FOOD.
a Ebesphatic Baking Iow5o2 Theory
that is Dangerous Il not
Ridiculous.

That is rather dangerous proposition.
put forth by the manufacturers OF some OF
the patented or proprietary articles of food,
that their products possess superior
wholesomeness because they c0ntain a
drug of some particular medicinal pro-
perry Phosphales, alum, lime, arsenic,
calnmel. ETC.. have their places as specifics
for different diseases. and arc invaluable
medical remedies, each in. its place. But
they are not cure alls The physician who
should prescribe either calomrl or strych
ine, or rhubarb three times Il day to man,
woman and child, sick or well. because
either of such drugs Is well known re-
medy for some certain disease, would re.
ceive but little honor from the fraternity
and less practice from the community.
No one will controvert this system; yet
We find manufacturers of baking powders
claiming superior hygienc virtue for their
productions and urging their continuous
use because they are alleged to carry the
phosphate used in making them Ia cheap
substitute for cream of tartar, procured
from the bones of dead animals) into the
food, although we'll aware, as they must
be, of the fact that with the constant use
of such article 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 detrimental.
Both alum and phosphates are useful
medcaments in certain diseases but they
should no more be taken indiscriminatcly
day after day and without the prescription
of physician, than arsenic, aconite or
colonel; indeed, there are conditions of
the system, particularly with women,
when the prudent physician would be
loath to permit the USE of lime phosphates
even as medicine
The fallacy of this claim Of The manu-.
facturers 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 re-
auired or can be assimlated, as is evil
denced by the fact that they arc constant
ly being expelled in the cxcretions. both
solid and liquid; likewise the statement
that 1t is necessary to add phosphates to
the baking powder to restore to the -four
those which have been lost in the milling,
forit is true that fine flour rs mt present
made actually contains larger percentage
of phosphatcs than the grain of wheat it.
self
The object OF baking powders is not to
provide the body with a medicine, but
simply TO vesiculatc or make light the
mixture of -four, so rs TO render it whcn
baked easy of mastication and perfectly
digestible The most celebrated experts
in the business have worked for the per.
fcction of an article that should do this
mechanically, adding to Or taking from
the flour nothing, nor in any waY effect |
ing change in its proprietics or constitu-
ents. When this has been done the per-
feet leavening agent has been discovered. |
The manufacturers of the Royal Baking |
Powder have succeeded in this so far as
TO make leavening agent that vesiculates |
and raises the loaf most perfectly, and |
without changing the properties of the |
-four, while the residuum from il has been |
reduced TO a minimum. The acid en-
ployed, however, 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 reliable and
healthful than any other. The recent |
official tests show, on the other hand, that |
the best the phosphate baking powder |
makers can do is to produce an article that |
is one third moro residuum or impurity.
We want our food pure; especially do
we not wish TO take alum, lime and phos.
pilates with 1t at the dictum of manufac.
turers who may find II cheaper to claim a
virtue for the Impurities than to remove
them.