Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-05-03
NO PHYSIC WITH OUR FOOD.
Phosphate Baking Powder Theory that Il
Dangerous II not Ridiculous.

M I'll i olC Win OOh fOOD,
A Phosphate Baking Powder Theory that Is
Dangerous II not Ridiculous.
That is dangerous proposition, put
forth by the manufacturers of some of
the patented or proprietary articles of
food. that their products possess a supe-
rior wholesomeness because they con-
tain a drug of some particular medicinal
property. Phosphates, alum, lime,
arsenic, calomcl. etc, have their places
as specifics for different diseases. aad
are invaluable medical remedies, each
in its place. But they are not cltre-alls.
The physician who should prescribe
either calomel,or strychnine, or rhubarb
three times a day to man, woman and
child. sick or well, because either Of
such drugs is a well known remedy for
some certain disease. would receive but
little honor from the fraternity and less
practice from the community.
No one will controvert this statement;
yet we find manufacturers of baking
powders claiming superior hygienic
virtues for their productions and urging
their continuous use because they are
alleged to carry the phosphate used in
making them Ga 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 tins drug must pass into
our systems daily, no matter what may
be our physical conditions or require
ments, 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 medicaments in certain dis
eases; but they should no mere be taken
indiscriminately day after day and
without the prescription of physician.
than arsenic, aconite or calomel; 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 a medicine.
The fallacy of this claim of the man
ufacturers of phosphate baking powders
will be apparent to all when the fact,
well known to physicians, is stated,
that in average health and with ordi-
nary food the body gets more phosphates
than are required or can be assimiated,
as is evidenced by the fact that they
are constantly being expelled in the
excretions, both solid and liquid; like
wise the statement that it is necessary
to add phosphates to the baking powder
to restore 20 the -four those which have
been lost in the milling, for il is true
that fine flour as at present male act
ually contains larger percentage Of
phosphates than the grain Of wheat
itself.
The object of baking powders is not
to provide the body with medicine,
but simply to vesiculate or make light
the mixture of -four, so as to render ii
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, adding
to or taking from the flour nothing, nor
in any way effecting change IN its
properties or constituents. When this |
has been done the perfect leavening
agent has been discovered. The man
ufacturers of the Royal Baking Powder
have succeeded in this so far as TO make |
a leavening agent that vesiculates md !
raises the loaf most perfectly, and with
out changing the properties Of the flour, |
while the residuum from it has been
reduced to a minimum. The acid en-
ployed, however, to produce this result
is not phosphate, but the acid Of highly
refined 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 or
more residuum or impurity.
We want our food pure; especially do
phosphates with it at the dictum Of
who may find it cheaper
70 claim a virtue for the impurities
han to remove them.