Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-10-29
A MrLLIoN A YEAR.
Lottery and Prize Schemes Used to
Sell Alum and Ammonia Bak-
ing Powder,

Lottery and Prize Schemes Used to
Sell Alan and Ammonia Bak-
ing Powder.
A New York concern, manufacturers
of an smonia baking powder boasts that
it's yearly profits are over million dol
lars. While, perhaps. none of the makers
of alum powders individually can show
so large earnings vet their profits are
enormous.
A business so profitable will always a.
tract 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. A piece of glassware or china,
a child's wagon. sled, pewter spoon or
some other article Of attractive appear
ance, but Of email intrinsic value or cost
is given with each purchase or q number
is attached to the can which entities the
customer to similarly numbered article
or 10 prize of some hind. 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 tru-
ly alarming.
The highest authorities of all countries
condemn the use OF alum In bread with
out reserve. In America the most dis
tinguisLed ply sicians, chemists and hy-
CHEMISTS have declared that the traffic in
alum baking powders should be suppress
sed by law. In England and France
where the subject Of pure food, and its
effects 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 baking powders
would not be permitted for an hour.
Any one who attempted to 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 bod
raised by alum baking powders are the
more dangerous because Of their insidi.
Gus character. 1t would be less danger.
GUS to the community were it fatal at
once, for then such food would be avoid /,
ed; but their deleterious action because
imperceptible 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 eff
feet is produced by it upon the delicate
coats of the stomach and intestines.
What housewife would take home to
her family a can OF alum or ammonia
baking powder il she knew it. Such
powders not only undermine the system.
but it is pointed out that ammonia taken
into the system in even ipfinetisimal
doses day sitter day. imparts to the COM
plexion a sallow and blotched appear
ance.
1t is safe to discard all baking powders
sold with prize or gift.
What misnomer are the words "Ab.
solutely Pure" as applied to baking pow
ders. Two large selling brands, one
made from alum, the other containing
ammonia and both of these drugged bak
ing powders have stamped upon their
labels and circulars these words sbsolute>
ly pure, as matter of fact they are "Ab-
solutely Poor" as shown by official ex-
amiuations.