The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1892-01-23
A MILLION A YEAR.
Lottery and Prize Schemes Used to Sell
Alum and Ammonia Baking Powders.


A New York concern. manufacturer,
OF an ammonia baking powder, boasts
that its yearly profits are over a millior
dollars. While, perhaps, none Of the
makers OF alum powders Individually
can show 30 large earnings, yet then
profits are enormous.
A business 80 profitable will ALWAYS
attract to itself those whose greed viii
cause them TO utterly disregard the ef
feet 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.
child's wagon, sled, pewter spoon OF
some other article of attractive appear.
ance, but of small intrinsic value OF
cost. is given with each purchase, or a
numbe is attached TO the can which en-
titles the customer to a similarly mum
bered 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 attained such
giant proportions and their consump-
tion 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 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 scientists,
30 serious matter is the use of alum in
bread or other food considered to be.
that most stringent laws have been en-
acted to prevent it. These laws are
rigidly enforced, and the sale of alum
baking powders would not be permitted
for an hour. Auy 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 PEN
alties.
The i'll effects upon the system of food
raised by alum baking powders are the
more dangerous because of their insid-
ious character. 1t would be less dan.
gerous to the community were it fatal
at once, for then such food would be
avoided; 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 every one. Physicians say this same
effect is produced by it upon the deli
cate coats Of the stomach and intestines.
What housewife would take home to
her family can of alum or ammonia
baking powder if she knew it? Such
powders not only undermine the system,
but it is pointed out that ammonia taken
into the system in even infinitesimal
ioses day after day, imparts to The COM
olexion sallow and blotched appear.
ance'
1t is safe to discard all baking pow
iers sold with prize or gift.
What a misnomer are the words cab
'olutely Pure" as applied to baking
powders. Two of the largest selling |
brands, one made from alum, the other
containing ammonia, and both of these
rugged baking powders have stamped |
lpon their labels and circulars these
words, absolutely pure; as a matter of |
act they are Absolutely Poor" as
hown by official examinations.