Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-05-17
DANGEROUS FOOD ADULTERATION
The Fraudulent use of Alum and Lime In Cheap
Baking Powders.

The Fraudulent use of ALUM and Lime In Cheap
Baking Powders.
If consumers prefer TO buy an adult
Grated article of food because it can be
had at a lower price, they undoubtedly
have the right to do so, provided the
adulterants are not OF character in
furious to health II such articles are
not falsely sold rs pure. and the cus-
toner is not deceived as to their real
character, the transaction 10 not He
climate.
But the great danger in the traffic in
adullerated food arises from the decept-
ion that is pfaciiced by manufacturers
usually CHASING such goods as pure.
This is almost Invariably done when the
adul;erant is one that is Injurious 10
health For instance, manufacturers
of alum and line baking powders not
only fail to inform tho public of the real
character of their goods. but carefully
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 go still further and proclaim bold
ly that they are cream of tartar goods,
or esen the genuine Royal Baking Pow
der itself No consumer will buy alum
baking powders knowingly, for it is
well understood that they are delri-
mental to health. The sale of lime and
alum baking powders as pure and
wholesome articles is, therefore, Grim
inal, and il is satisfactory to notice that
several persons engaged in such sale
have already been brought to justice
in the courts.
The official analysts have recently
been active in the pursuit ef THESE dis
honest articles. The baking powders
OF several States have beer carefully
and critically examined. The officials
are surprised at the large amount of
lime and alum goods found. 1t is n
suggestive fact that no baking powder
except the Royal has been found with
on. either litiie of alum, and many
contain both. Dr. Prices baking pow
der has been found to contain nearly
II per cent of lime; Cleveland's IL per
cent. Of impurities; the phosphate
powders over II per cent, of lime.
The chief service OF lime is TO add
weight. Ii is true that lime, when sub
jccted to heat. gives off a certain amount
of carhonic acid gas, but a quicklime
is left-a eaustiG of most powerful na-
tnre. A small quantity of dry limo
upon the ,ongue,or in the eye, produces
painful effects; how much more serious
must these effects be on the delicate
membranes of the stomach, intestines
and kidneys, more particularly of in
fants I'd children, and especially when
the LINE is taken iuto 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 limo is quite as
much TO be dreaded as with alum, which
has heretofore received the most en-
phatic condemnation from food analysts
physicians and chemists, for the reason
that while alum may be partially dis
solved by the heat of baking it is i'm
possible 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 manufact-
ure of lime and alum baking powders
has placed many of them in the market.
They arc to DO found in the stock of al
most every rAtail dealer, and are urged
upon customers calling for baking pow
ders upon AL occasions. Because of
their well-kuown detrimental character
it is desira BILE that prompt means be
taken to suppress their manufacture.
Pure baking powders arc one Of the
chief aids to the cook ir preparing per-
feet and wholesome food While those
are to be OBJ tanned of well-established
reputation. like the Royal, of whose
purity there has never been question
it is proper to avoid all others.
Dodgevill.e May 14.-Mark Terrill,
proprietor of the City hotel in Miner al
Point, shot and killed n colored man by
the name of Henry Wesley, at his hotel
on Saturday night. Several men we're
drinking st the bar on Wesley's treat
and dispute arose between him and
Terrill about change when Terrill left
the bar. went up stairs, got 3 revolver
and shot Wesley dead. An inquest was
held yesterday and a verdict given
according to the above facts. TerriIl is
under arrest and a preliminary examin-
alton will take place to-day.