The Coconino weekly sun., 1891-11-05
A MILLION A YEAR.
Lottery and Prize Schemes Used to Sell Alum and Ammonia Baking
 Powders.

| A New 10rk concern. manulac- lures of an ammonia baking powder boasts that its yearly profits are over a million dollars. While, perhaps, none of the makers of alum powders individually can show so large earn ings yet their profits are enormous.
 A business so profitable, will al- ways attract to itself those whose greed will cause them to utterly disre- gard the effect their traffic may have upon the health or life of others.
 Alum baking powders are intro duced largely by gifts, prizes and lot tery schemes. A piece of glassware or china, q child's wagon, sled a pew ter spoon or some other article of at tractive appearance, but of small in- trinsic value or cost is given with each purchase or number is attached to the can which entities the customer to |
 similarly numbered article or to a prize of some kind. It is in some such way as this that the trade in alum and ammonia baking powders, which has now attained such giant pro- portions and their consumption by the public which has reached an extent which is truly alarming.
 The highest authorities of all coun- tries condemn the use of alum in bread | without reserve. In America the most distinguished physicians, chem ists and hygenists have declared that the traffic in alum baking powders should be suppressed by law. In Eng land and France where the subject of pure food, andits effect upon the system, has been more fully considered and made the subject of extended experi- ments by the scientists, so serious a 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 fol an hour. Any one who attempted to make them for use in food, or at. tempted 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 becanse o' their insidious character. It would b, less dangerous to the community were it fatal at once, for then such foot would be avoided but their deliteriou' action because imperceptlble at first is no less certain.
 The pickering effect which alum has when taken in the mouth is familiar tC everyone. Physicians say this sam, effectis produced by it upon the deli cate coats of the stomach and intes tines.
 What housewife would take home tt her family can of alum or ammonia baking powder if she knew it. Sucl powders not only undermine the sys tenn, but it is pointed out that ammonia taken into the system in even infini , tisimal doses day after day, imparts tt the complexion sallow and blotched appearance.
 It is safe to discard all baking pow ders sold with prize or gift.
 What a misnomer are the word, absolutely Pure" as applied to bak ing powders two of the largest selling brands, one made from alum, th' other containing ammonia and botf of these drugged baking powders have stamped upon their labels and circu lars these words absolutely pure, as [ matter of fact they are Absolutely ? Poor" as shown by official examina tions.