The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-02
no eaysso w,ra oCk room.
A Phosphate Baking Powder Theory hat
- Dangerous IL not Ridiculous.


That IL a rather dangerous proposition,
put forth by the manufacturers of some
OF the patented or proprietary articles OF
food, that their products possess supe-
rior whOlesOmeness because they contain
drug of some particular medicinal prop
eriy. PbOsphates, alum, lime, arsenic,
caiOmei, stC have their places as specl-
ics for different diseases, and are inyal-
uabe medical remedies, each in its place.
But they are not cure-als. The physician
who should prescribe either calomcl, or
sirychnine, or rhubsrh three times day
/ t. man, woman and child, sick or well,
| b cause either Of such drugs is a well
/ known remedy for some certain disease
would receive dut little honor from The
I fraternity and less practice from the com
munity.
80 one will conirovert this statement;
vet Wc find manufacturers OF baking
powders claiming superior bygieric vir-
tue for their productions aud urging their
! continuous use because they are alleged
TO carry the phosphate used in making
/ them n cheap substitute for cream OF
tartar, procured from the bones OF dead
animalsl into the food. although well
aWar, 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 We our physical con-
/ dtiOns or requirements, or whether OF
not we may be suffering from some all
mcnt wherein the use Of such drug would
| be positively detrimental BOth alum
aud phosphates are useful indictments
| in certain diseases; bat they should no
more be- taken indscriminaiely day after
day, and without the prescription OF
ply sician, than arsenic, acOnlle or calo
mel; indeed there are tondiuons OF the
system, particularly with women, when
the prudent physician would be iOath to
permit the use OF lime phosphatcs even
as a medicine.
The iallacy OF this claim Of the manu-
facurers OF phosphate baking powders
will be apparent TO all when the fact,
well EnOWn 10 physicians, is stated, that
in average health and with ordinary
food the body gels more phos
pilates than are required or can
he ass!milalcd, as is evidenced by The fact
that they are constantly heiug expelled
in the excretiOls both solid and liquid
likewise the statement that IL is necessary
TO add phosphatcs to the baking powder
TO restore 10 The flour those which have
been lost in the milling Tor it is true that
fine flour, as at present made, actually
contains larger percentage or phos
pbaies than The grain of wheat Itself.
The obtec, OF baking powders Il not 10
provide The body with a medicine, but
simply 10 yesicu!Hte o. make light the
mixture OF iOur, 30 az 10 render II when
baked easy of masticallon and perfectly
digcslibe The most celebrated 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
eiiecting a change in lis properties or
constituents When this has been done
the perfect leayening agent has been
discOyored The manufacturers Of the
ROYAL Baking Powder have succeeded In
this so far "a 10 make a leavening agent
that yesicuates and raises the loaf
most perfectly and without changing the
properties OF the flour, while the residuum
from il has been reduced 10 minimum.
The acid employed, however, to produce
this result is not phosphate, bdi the acd
of mighty refined cream OF tartar, which
the health authorities agree renders that
powder perfectly pure and more reliable
and hcelthlul Than any other The re-
cent official tests show, on the othc-
band, that the best the phosphate bak-
ng powder makers can DO is to produce
al article that is one-third OF more residu
um or inquiry
We want our food pure especially do
wenot wish 10 take alum lime, and phos-
pilates with il at the dictum OF manuiac-
turcrs who may find It cheaper TO claim
a virtue for the impurities than TO re
move them.