The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-10-29
A NILLIOI A YEAR.
Lttsry and Prize Schemes Used 10 Sell Alum
and Ammonia Baking 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
powders individually can show so large
earnings yet their profits are enormous.
A business so profitable, will always at
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 prize Of glassware or china,
a child's wagon, sled, n pewter spoon or
some other article Of attractive appear
ance, but Of small intrinsic value or cost
is given with each purchase or q number
is attached to the can which entities the
customer to a similarly numbered article
or to 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 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
hygienists have declared that the traffic in
alum baking powders should be suppress
ed by law. In England and France
where the subject Of pure iood, and its
effect upon the system, has been more
fully considered and made the subject Of
extended experiments by the scientists,
80 serious a matter is the use Of alum in
bread or other food considered TO be,
that most stringent laws have been en-.
acted to prevent 1t. These laws are rigid.
ly enforced, and the sale Of alum baking
powders would not be permitted for an
hour. Any one who attempted to make
them for use in food, or attempted TO uss
them for raising bread, biscuit or cake
would suffer severe penalties.
The i'll effect upon the system Of ioot
raised by alum baking powders are thu
more dangerous because Of their insidiouI
character. II would be less dangerous Il
the community were IL fatal at once. iol
then such food would be avoided: bu
their deleterious action because imper
ceptible at first is no less certain.
The puckering effect which alum hal
when taken in the mouth IL familiar h
everyone. Physicians say this same 81
feet is produced by il upon the delicat
coats Of the stomach and intestines.
What housewife would take home I,
her family q can Of alum or ammonil
baking powder II she knew it. sucI
powders not only undermine the system
but il is pointed out that ammonia take
into the system in even inIinitesims
doses day after day, imparts to the CON
plexion . sallow and blotched Appear
ance.
II is safe to discard all baking powder
sold with prize or gift.
What q misnOmer are the word
Absolutely Pure" as applied TO bakin
powders. Two Of the largest sellin
brands, one made FROM alum, the Olht
containing ammonia and both Of thes
drugged baking powders have stampe
upon their tables and circulars the,
words absolutely pure, as q matter Of 70,
they are Absolutely Poor" as shown b
Official examinations.