Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-16
No Physic with Our Food.
PHOSPHATE BAKING POINTER THEORY THAT Is
DANGEROUS IF NOT RIDICULOUS.

PHOSPHATE BAKING POINTER THEORY THAT Is
DANGEROUS II NOT RIDICULOUS.
From Lippincott's Magazine
That is rather a dangerous proposition. put
forth by the manufacturers OF some OF the
patented or proprietary articles Of food that their
products possess superior wholesomeness be-
cause they contain a drug OF some particular
medicinal property. PhOsphates, alum, lime
arsenic, calOmel &C., have their places as specifics
Tor different diseases, and are invaluable medical
remedies each in its place. But they are not cure
alls. The physician. who should prescribe either
edlOmel, or strychnine, or rhubarb three times a
day 10 man, woman and child, sick or we'll be-
cause either OF such drugs Is wel-known remedy
honor from the fraternity and less practice from
the community.
No one will controver, this statements yet we
find manufacturers OF baking powders claiming
superior hygienic virtue for their productions and
urging their continuous use because they are al
legged TO carry the phosphate used In making them
"a cheap substitute for cream OF tartar procured
from the bones OF dead aninals) into the food al.
though well aware, as they must be, OF the fact
that with the constant use OF such article this
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 allInent wherein the use of such drug would
be positively detrimental. Both alum and phos-
pilates are useful indictments In certain diseases:
eut they should no more De taken indiScriminately
day after day and without the prescription OF a
physician than arsenic, aconite or calOmel: in
deed there are conditions OF the system, particu-
would be loath to permit the use OF lime phoSpbares
even as a medicine.
The fa!lacy OF this claim OF the manufacturers of
Phosphate baking powders will be apparent to ali
when the TACT, well known to physicians Is stated
that In average health and with ordinary FOOD the
body gets more phoSphateS than are REQUIRED or
can be assimilated Is evidenced by the fact that
they are constantly being expelled In the excre-
tons, oOth solid and liquid; likewise the state
ment that IL Is necessary add phosphates TO the
baking powder 20 restore to the -four those which
have been lost In the milling for t Is true that fine
percentage u phosphates than the grain OF wheat
itself
The object OF baking powders is not to prov.de
The body with a medicine but simply to yeslcu
late or make Hight the mixture OF flour so as 10
render IL when baked easy OF mastication ana per-
the business nave worked for the perfection OF an
article that should do this mechanically adding
10 or taxing from The Hour nothing nor In any
way enectlng a change in It's properties or con.
stltuentS when this has been done the pc feet
leavenins agent has been discovered. The manu-
ceeded In THIS 80 lar as 10 make leavening agent
that vesculates and raises the loaf most perfectly
and without changing the properties or the -four
while the reslduQm from IL has been reduced 10 a
minimum. The acid employed, however, to pro-
duce this result Is not phosphate, but the acid OF
authorities agree renders that powder prefecty
pure and more reliable ana 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 resduuIn or impurity.
We want our iood pure; especially do We not
wish 10 take alum, lime and phosphates with II at
the dictum OF manufacturers who may md ir
cheaper 10 claim virtue for the impurities than
10 remove them.