The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-09-06
ALUM BAKING POWDERS 4
CONGRESS.
Report That Evidence OF Their Harm
fulnsss IL Overwh elming.

ene senate were some time ago directed
to investigate the food authorizations,
and accumulated volume OF testimony
upon the subject from the best inform.
ed parties and highest scientific author.
tiles in the country.
One of the greatest sources OF danger
to our foods. the committee state in
their report, exists in alum baking
powders. The committee found the
testimony, they say, overwhelmingly
condemnatory of the use of alum in
baking powders, and recommended that
such use be prohibited by law.
Senator Mason, discussing in the sen.
ate the report of the committee and the
several bills introduced to carry the
recommendation OF the committee in.
to effect. said:
when We made this report we made
1t based on the evidence before us, and
the evidence is simply overwhelming.
! do not care how big q lobby there
may be here for the alum baking pow.
der. / do not care how many memorials
they publish, there is no place in the
human economy of human food for this
thing called alum. The overwhelming
evidence of the leading physicians and
scientists of this country is that it is
absolutely unfit to 60 into human food,
and that in many cases-if the gentle.
man will read the evidence, some OF
the physicians say they can trace cases
in their own practice-theie are dis
eases Of the kidney due to the perpetual
use OF slum in their daily bread.
when you mix mineral poison, az
they all say that alum is. it is impossi-
BILE to mix it always to such degree
that there will not be residuum left
of alum, which produces alumina, and
which contributes largely to the diseases
of the people in this country.
81 want to give the senate an idea
of the class of men we have called.
They are the leading scientists from
every college of the United States that
we could get hold Of"
SenStor Mason, from long list OF
scientists who had testified as to the
hurtfulness of alum baking powders,
and as to the healthfulness of cream OF
tartar powders, mentioned the follow
ing
Appleton, John Howard, professor
of chemistry, Brown University, Prov.
idence, X. 1.
Arnold, ]. w. S., professor, Univer.
sity of New York.
Atwater, w. o., professor and direc-
tor, government experimental station,
Washington, d. G.
Barker. George F., professor, Uni.
versity of Pennsylvania.
Caldwell, G. c., professor, Cornell
University, Ithaca, N. Y.
Chandler, G. F. professor, Columbia
University, New York.
Chittenden, Russell H., professor.
Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
Cornwall, H. B.. professor. Univer.
sity of Princeton. New Jersey.
Champion, g. A., professor, Division
of chemistry. Washington, d. c.
Frear.. William. professor, State COL
lege, Pennsylvania.
Jenkins, Edward H., professor, de-
partment of agriculture, state of Con-
necticut.
johnson, s. w., professor. Yale Col
lege, New Haven, Conn.
Mallet, John William, professor,
University of Virginia.
New, w. NJ, professor, Army and
Medical Department, United States
government.
Munroe, Charles Edward, professor
of chemistry, Columbian University,
Washington. ID. G.
Prescott, Albert B., professor, Uni.
versity of Michigan. Ann Arbor. Mich.
Price, A. F., medical director, Unit
ed States Naval Hospital, Washington.
D. c..
Smart, Charles. ieutenant.c colonel,
assistant surgeOn-general, United
States army.
Sternberg. George NJ. Surgeon-Gen-
eral, United States army. Washington.
d. G.
Tucker, Willis g., professor Of
chemistry and chemist of state board
of health. state of New York.
Vaughan. Victor c., professor, Uni
versity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Van Reypen w. X. Surgeon-Gen-
eral United States Navy. Washington,
d. G..
Wiley, Prof. Fl. w., Chief Chemist
department of agriculture. United
States. Washington, ID. G..
Wyman, Walter. Surgeon-G General,
United States Marine Hospital, Wash
ington, d. q.
Mr.. Petrigrew-Was there any testi-
mony which showed that there were
cases OF injury to health as result Of
constant use OF alum?
Mr.. Mason-Yes; can turn You to
the testimony.
Mr.. Pettigrew-I do not care to have
the senator torn to it. l simply want
to emphasize the point. l agree with
the senator. 1t has always been my
own impression that alum baking pow
der is injurious, but wanted to bring
it out and make it emphatic. II the
proof sustsins that position.
Mr.. Mason-I quite agree with the
senator. 1t is claimed that there Is
not country in Europe that does not
prohibit the use of alum. Certainly
three or four of the leading countries OF
Europe to which have had my atten-
ton called prohibit the use Of alum in
baking powder.
Mr.. Pettigrew-Did the chemists
who came before the committee, these
generally testify-was II the
result of their evidence-that the
cream of tartar baking powder Is
healthy and does not leave residuum
which is injurious to health?