The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-06-16
Dangerous Food Adulteration.
The FRAUDULENT USE OF ALuMN AND
LIME IN CHEAP BAKING PowDERs.


If consumers prefer to buy an
adulterated article of food because
1t can be had at lower price, they
undoubtedly have the right to do so,
provided the adulterants are not of
a character injurious to health. If
SUCH Articles are not Falsely sold ms
pure, and the customer is not deciev-
cd as to their real character, the
transaction is not Legitimate.
But the great danger in the traffic
is adulterated food arises from the
deception that is practice by man.
utacturers usually chasing such
goods as pure. This 10 almost in
variably done when the adulterant
IS one that is injurious to health.
ror instance, manufacturers of alum
and lime baking powders not onlv
fail to inform the public of the real
character of their goods, but care
FULLY conceal the fact that they are
made from these poisonous articles.
Most OF these manufacturers also
claim that their articles are pure
and wholesome, while some 90 still
further and proclaim boldly that
they are cream Of tarter goods, or
even the genuine Royal Baking
Powder itself. No consumer will
buy alum baking powders knowing
ly, for it is well understood that thew
are detrimental to health. The sale
of lime and alum baking powders as
pure and wholesome articles is
therefore, criminal, and it is satisfac-
tory to notice that several already
been brought to justice in the courts.
The official analysts have recent
ly been active in the pursuit of these
dishonest articles. The baking
powders of several States have been
carefully and critically examined.
The officials are surprised at the
large amount of lime and alum
goods found. 1t is suggestive fact
that no baking powder except the
Royal has been found without lime
or alum, and many contain both.
DIR. Pierce's baking powder has been
found to contain II per cent of lime,
Cleveland's II per cent. of impurities
the phosphate powders over u per
cent. of lime.
The chief service of lime is to add
weight. 1t is true that lime, when
subjected to carbonic acid gas, but a
quicklime is left--a caustic of most
powerful nature. A small quantity
of dry lime on the tongue, or in the
eye, produces painful effects how
much more serious must these
effects be on the delicate membranes
of the stomach, intestines and kid
neys, more particularly of infants
and children, and especially when
the lime is taken into the system
day after day, and with almost every
meal. This is said by physicians to
be one of the causes of indigestion
dyspepsia, and those painful diseases
of the kidneys now SO prevalent.
Adulteration with lime is quite as
much to be dreaded with alum
which has heretofore received the
most emphatis condemnation from
food analysts, physicians and chem
iats, for the reason that while. alum
may be partially dissolved by the
heat of baking it is impossible to
destroy 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 manu-
factlrer of lime and alum baking
powders has placed many of them
in the market. They are to be found
in the stock of almost every retail
dealer, and are urged upon custom
ers calling for baking powders upon
all occasions. Because of their we'll
known detrimental character it is
desirable that prompt means be
taken to suppress their manufact-
ure.
Pure baking powders are one Of
the chief aids to the cook in prepar-
ing perfect and wholesome food.
While those are to be obtained of
well-established reputation, like the
Royal, of whose purity there has
never been a question, it is proper to
avoid all others.
In caring for the flower bed it
must be considered that unless the
bed be full and the ground rich it
will become unsightly instead of
attractive.
The celery trenches should con-
tain plenty of manure is choice eel