The record-union., 1891-11-26
A MILLION A YEAR.
Lottery and Prize Schemes Used to
Sell Alum and Ammonia Baking Pow
ders.

Lottery and Prize Schemes Used to
Sell Alum and Ammonia Baking Pow
ders.
A New York concern, manufacturers Of
an ammonia baking powder, boasts that
its yearly profits are over million dol
lars. While, perhaps, none OF the makers
Of alum powders individually can show
so large earnings, yet their profits are
enormous.
A business so profitable will always
attract to itself those whose greed will
cause them to utterly disregard the effect
their traffic may have upon the health or
life Of others.
Alum baking powders are introduced
largely by gifts, prizes and lottery
schemes. \ piece of glassware or china,
a child's wagon, sled, pewter spoon or
some other article of attractive appear
ance, but of small intrinsic value or cost,
is given with each purchase, or number
is attached to the can, which entities the
customer 70 a similarly numbered article
or to prize of some kind. 1t is in some
such way as this that the trade in alum
and ammonia baking powders, which has
now attained such giant proportions, and
their consumption by the public which
has reached an extent which is truly
alarming.
The highest authorities of all countries
condemn the use Of alum in bread with
out reserve. In America the most dis
tinguished physicians chemists and hy-
gienIsts have declared that the traffic in
alum baking powders should be sup
pressed by law. In England and France.
where the subject OF pure food and its
effect upon the system has been more
fully considered and made the subject of
extended experiments by the scientists,
so serious q matter is the use OF alum IN
bread or other food considered to be that
most stringent laws have been enacted to
prevent it. These laws are rigidly en-
forced. and the sale of alum baking
powders would not be permitted for an
hour. Any one who attempted 10 make
them for use in food, or attempted to use
them for raising bread, biscuit or cake,
would suffer severe penalties.
The i'll effects upon the system Of food
raised by alum baking powders are the
more dangerous because OF their insldlous
character. 1t would be less dangerous
to the community were it fatal at once,
for then such food would be avoided; but
their deleteriouS action, because imper-
ceptible at first is no less certain.
The puckering effect which alum has
when taken in the mouth is familiar to
everyone Physicians say this same
effect is produced by it upon the delicate
coats Of the stomach and intestines.
What housewife would take home to
| her family can OF alum or ammonia
baking powder if she knew it. Such
powders not only undermine the system,
but it is pointed out that ammonia taken
into the system in even infnitesimal
doses day after day, imparts to the com
plexion sallow and blotched appearance.
It is safe to discard all baking powders
sold with a prize or gift.
| What q misnomer are the words ga bso-
lutely Pure" as applied to baking
! powders. Two of the largest selling
brands, one made from alum, the other
containing ammonia, and both of these
! drugged baking powders have stamped
upon their labels and circulars these
words absolutely pure, as a matter of
! fact they are absolutely Poor,n as
| shown by official examinations.