Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1891-10-09
A'MILLlON


Lottery and prize schemes used to
sell alum aud ammonia baking
powder.
A New York concern, manufactur.
ers Of ammonia baking powder
boasts that its years profits are over
a million dollars. While perhaps
meme OF the makers of alum powders
Individually can show SO large earn
ings yet their profits are enormous
A business SO profitable, will
aways 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 intro
duced largely by gifts, prizes and
~lotterery schemes. A piece ofglass.
ware or china, a child's wagon, sled,
a pewter spoon or some other article
Of attractive appearance but ofsmall
intrinsic value or cost is given with
each purchase or a number is at
tached to the can which entities the
customer to a prize of some kind.
1t is in some such way az these that
the trade in alum and ammonia bak-
ing powders, which has now attained
such giant proportions ard their
consumption by the public which
has reached an extent which is truly
alarming.
The highest authorities of all
condemn the use of alum
in bread without reserve In AM
erica the most distinguished physi-
chemists and ~hygienists have
declared that the traffic in alum bak-
powders should be suppressed
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 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. The laws are rigidly en-
forced, and the sale of alum baking
powders would not be permittee 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 effect upon the system of
food raised by alum baking powders
are the most dangerous because of
their insidious character. It would
be less dangerous to the community
were it fatal at once, for than such
food would be avoided; but their
deletrious action because impei.
ceptible at first is no less certain.
The p~ucker:ng effect which alum
has upon taking it in the mouth is
familiar to everyone. Physicians say
this same effect produced by it upon
the delicate coats of the stomach
and intestines.
What housewife would take home
TO her family a a OF alum or am
monia baking powder il she knew it.
Such powders not only undermine
the SYSTEM but is pointed out that
ammonia taken into. the system in
even i%nfinitesmal doses day afterd day,
imparts to the complexion a sallow
and hlotched appearance.
It is safe to discard all baking
powders sold with prize or gift.
What a misnomer are the words
I" Absolutely Pure " as applied to
baking powders. Two ofthe largest
selling brands, one made from alum
the other containing ammonia and
both Of these drugged baking pow
ders have stamped upon their labels
and circulars these words absolutely
pure, az q matter Of fact they are
" Absolutely Poor nas shown by
Official examinations.