Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-03-24
NO PHYsIc WITH OUR FOOD.
A PHOSPHATE BAKING POWDER
THEORY THAT IS DANGEROUS IF
NOT RIDICULOUS.

THEORY THAT IS DANGEROUS IF
NOT RIDICULOUS.
That IS rather dangerous PROPOSE
ton, put forth:by the manufacturers
OF some of the patented or proprie-
tary articles of food, that their pro-
ducts possess q superior wholesome
ness because they contain drug OF
some particular medical property.
phosphates, alum, lime, arsenic, Gallo
mel, DC, have their places as specifics
Tor different diseases, and are invalu-
able medical remedies, each in its
place. But they are not cure-alls.
The physician who should prescribe
either calomel. or strychnine, or rhu-
barb three times day to man, wom-
an 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 state
ment; yet we find manufacturers of
baking powders claiming superior
hygienic virtue for their productions
and urging their continuous use be-
cause they are alleged to carry the
phosphate used in making them Ia
cheap substitute for cream of tarter,
procured from the bones of dead ami
mals) into the food, although we'll
aware, as they must be, of the fact
that with the constant use OF such ar
ticle this drug must pass into our sys-
TENS 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 posi-.
lively detrimental. Both alum and
phosphates are useful mendicaments
in certain diseases; bnt they should
no more be taken indiscriminately
day after day and without the pre-
scription of physician, than arsenic,
aconite or calomel, indeed, there are
conditions of the system, particularly
with women, when the prudent phys
ician would be loath to permit the
use of lime phosphates even as med
icine.
The fallacy of this claim of the man.
ufacturers of phosphate baking pow
ders 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 required or
can be assimilated, as is evidenced by
the fact that they are constantly be-
ing expelled in the excretions, both
solid and LIQUID; likewise the state
ment that it is necessary to add phos-
pilates to the baking powder to re-
store to the -four those which have
been lost in milling, fer it is true that
fine flour as as at present made actual
ly contains larger percent of phos-
pilates than the grain of wheat itself.
The object of baking powders is not
to provide the body with a medicine
but simply to vesiculate or make light
the mixture of -four, SO as to- render it
when baked easy of masticatiOn and
perfectly digestible. The most cele-
brated experts in the business have
worked for the perfection of an arti.
Gle that should do this mechanically,
adding to or taking from the -four
nothing, nor in any way effecting a
change in its properties or constitu-
ents. When this has been done the
perfect leavening agent has been dis
covered. The manufacturers of the
Royal Baking Powder have succeed
ed in this SO far as to make a leaven-
ing agent that vesiculates and raises
the loaf most perfectly, and without
changing the properties of the -four,
while the residuum from it has beeu
reduced to a minimum. The acid en-
ployed, however, to produce this re-
suit is not Phosphate, but the acid of
highly refined cream of tarter, 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 impur-
ity.
We want our { cd pure; especially
do we not wish to take alum, lime and
phosphates with it at the dictum of
manufacturers who may find it cheap.
err to claim r'."u- !Cr the impurities
than to RENE Y: iheh,
DEATH OF Mr.. ANDERsoN.-The
startling news was received Saturday
evening that Mr.. Henry Anderson had
died suddenly at his residence on East
King st. He was about town in the
morning, and seemed 10 his usual
health. At about IL O'Clock he was
found in the stable, unconscious, and
died at half-past five in the evening.
AnoDJaxy xpac tho cousa and MT hiuu