St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-20
A MILLION A YEAR.
Lottery and Prize Schemes Used
to Sell Alum and Ammonia Bak-
ing Powders.

A New York concern, manufacturers
Of an ammonia baking powder, boasts
that its yearly profits are over million
dollars. 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. 4 piece of glassware or
china, a child's wagon, sled. a pewter
spoon or some other article of attractive
appearance, but of small intrinsic value
or cost, is given with each purchase, or
a number Is attached TO the can which
entities the customer to 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 at
tanned such giant proportions, and their
consumption by the public which has
reached an extent which is truly alarm
ing.
The highest authorities of all coun-
tries condemn the use of alum in bread
without reserve. In America the most
distinguished physicians, chemists and
hJgienists 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 scien-
lists, so serious a matter is the use of
81, I i
to be that most stringent laws have
been enacted to prevent it. These laws
are rlgidly enforced, and the sale OF alum
baking powders would not be permitted
for an hour. Any one who attempt
ed TO make them for use in food or at
tempted to use them for raising bread,
biscuit or cake, would suffer severe
penalties.
The Ill effects upon the system of food
raised by alum baking powders are the
more dangerous because of their insld-
iOus character. 1t would be less dan
gerous 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 pickering effect which alum has
when taken In the moth is familiar to
every one. Physicians say this same eff
lcCU ID pIDuuCCU ny IL upOU tii6 06IlCdL6
coats of the stomach and intestines.
What housewife would take home to
her family can of alum or ammonia bak-
ing powder if she knew it? Such pow.
ders not only undermine the system,
but it is pointed out that ammonia taken
into the system in even infnitesmal
doses, day after day, imparts to the COM
plexion saIlow and blotched appear
ance.
1t is safe to discard all baking pow
ders sold with prize or gift.
What a misnomer are the words TAB
solutely Pure" as applied to baking
powders two of the largest selling
brands, one made from alum. the other
containing ammonia, and both of these
idrugged baking powders have stamped
upon their labels and circulars these
words absolutely pure. AS matter of
fact they are absolutely Poor" as
shown by official examinations.