The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-01
ALUM BAKING POWDERS IN
CONGRESS.
Senate Committee Report That
the Eviden ee Of Their
HarmfElness Is
OyerwheIm-
Ing.
Efforts 60 Pass Pare Food Laws OPP
posed by the Alum Trust--speeeh OF
Senator Mason.

Senator Mason speech IN tho Geuatc
upon the subject of pure food embraces a
clear statement of the danger to which
the public health Is exposed from alum
baking powders.
The Committee on Manufactures were
some time ago directed to investigate
food authorizations, and at numerous ses-
sions In the principal cities accumulated
a volume Of testimony upon the subject
from the best informed parties and high
est scientific authorities in the country.
One Of the greatest sources OF danger
to our foods, the Committee stated in
their report, exists In alum baking pow
ders. The Committee found the testi-
mony, they say, overwhelmingly con-
demnatory of the use of alum In baking
powders, and recommend that such use
be prohibited by law.
Senator Mason, discussing the report Of
the Committee and the several bills intro
duced to carry the recommendations Of
the Committee into effect, said:
ALUM ABSOLUTELY UNFIT FOR
FOOD.
When we made this report we made 1t
based on the evidence before us, and the
evidence is simply overwhelming. l do
not care how big lobby there may be
here for the alum baking powder, do
not care how many memorials they pub
lish, there is no place in the human
economy of human food for this thing
called alum. The overwhelming evil
dence of the leading physicians and sci
entists of this country Is that 1t is abso-
lutely unfit to go INTO human food,
and that in many cases-if the gentleman
will read the evidnce, some OF the phy-
sicians say they can trace cases in their
own practice-there are diseases OF the
kidneys due to the perpetual use OF alum
In their daily bread l want to give the
have called. They are the leading scien-
lists from every college Of the United
States that we could get hold Of. We had
open doors, and no witness ever came
before that Committee in the twelve
months we were hearing evidence but
who was permitted to testify.
The leading physicians OF the world say
that cream of tartar is pure, natural,
healthy food product. 1t is product of
the grape, and when It is put In solution
residuum left it does not hurt the stom-
ach and it does not go into nor injure
the brain or the blood or the kidneys.
ALUM A MINERAL POISON.
When you mix a mineral poison, as |
they all say that alum is, it Is impossible
to mix it always to such a degree that |
there will not be residum left OF |
alum, which produces alumina and |
which contributes largely to the diseases |
of the people in this country.
will tell you now OF the men whose |
evidence came before the Committee who |
condemned the use of alum baking pow |
der, some In one language and some in |
another. i have not all the names. /
simply asked my stenographer to go
through hastily and give me those that
could be found readily out of 200 or 500 |
pages of evidence there:
GREAT SCIENTISTS TESTIFY CON-
DEFINING ALUM.
Ames, Howard E., surgeon, United |
States Navy, Washington, ID. G.
Appleton, John Howard, professor OF
chemistry, Brown University, Provi- |
dence, II. l.
the use of alum in anything like food !
product in the United States.
Arnold, ]; W, s., professor, University |
of New York.
Atwater, W. o., professor and director
of Government experimental station, |
Barker, George F., professor, Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania.
Busey, S. c., professor, Washington,
d. c.
Caldwell, G; G, professor, Cornell Uni
Chandler, z. F., professor, Columbia
Chittenden, Russell H., professor, Yale
University, New Haven, Conn.
Cornwall, H: B., professor, University
of Princeton, New Jersey.
Champion, @. A., professor, Division
of Chemistry, Washington, ID. G.
Cuthbert, DR.. NJ F., physician, Wash
ington, ID. G.
De E., se asdl T.. Emile, :, professor,
ture, Washington, b, G.
Fairhurst, Alfred, professor, chemist,
University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.
Fleming, Walter M, physician, New
Frear, William, professor, State Cot
Freeman, George F., Surgeon, United
States Naval Hospital, Washington, ID. @.
Jenkins, Edward H., professor, de-
partment of agriculture, State of Con-
Johnston, DR.. william W.. Washing
ton, ID. G.
johnson, Joseph Taber, professor of
surgery, Washington, ID. 9.
: johnson, S.W., professor, Yale College,
New Haven, Conn.
Kerr, DIR. William r., ex-health officer,
Chicago, Ill.
Mallet, John william, professor, Uni
versity of Virginia.
The Marine Hospital Service reject in
their ruls all alum baking powders or
any food containing alum. 1t is drug, i
and no chemist has ever testified that in
any food that goes into the stomach of
any animal the particles that form alum
are found. 1t is a poison, and it is SO
testified to by every one of these witness
es, some in one form and some in another.
McMurtrie, William, professor, con-
sulting and analytical chemist.
New, W. M, professor, Army and
Medical Department., United States Gov
eminent
Morton, Henry, president of Stevens
Institute, Hoboken, N. j.
Munroe, Charles Edward, professor of
chemistry, Columbian University, Wash
ington, ID. G.
Mott, Henry A., professor, New York
City.
The United States Navy refuses, under
the direction of the Surgeon General, to
have alum used in any Of the products
that no fnfn ba o. ha ~ ha