Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-30
Health Talks, by Dr., VIM. Brady
'copyrirh,. 1916 National Newspaper Service,
linking Powder md Health.

Baking powders are employed in baking to
produce result in a short time which would
leaveninG.
Yeast produces the leavening gas. carbonic
oxide fcarbonic acid sas), by the slow fermenta-
tion and breaking down of sugar or starch But
baking powder produces the gas from the
chemical action of one OF its constituents tan
acid substance) upon the other "a carbonate or
bicarbonate). Moisture is essential for the
chemical action as everybody knows who has
taken a Seidlitz powder or an e6crya.o.,t
saline of any kind.
Baking powder usually contains considerable
starch TO keep the acid substance and the BIZ
carbonate of soda dry until moisture is added
in excess.
Tartrates, phosphates and alum are used for
the acid ingredient of various baking powders
cream OF tartar" potassium bitartrate), or
tartaric acid may be used the acid ingredient
When tartar baking powder is used one of
the resulting ingredients in the bread will be
Rochelle salt but, of course in too minute a
quantity to produce any apparent laxative effect
Alum makes the bread white but roodness
knows 1t is too white and insipid anyway nova
days There has been great controversy over
the question of the influence of alum in baking
powders upon the health. Personally, although
very fond of good health and happy digestion
don't care picayune whether alum or tartrate
or phosphate powder is used for my biscuit /
wouldn't eat EN- hot anyway. A fellow seldom
eats more than dozen biscuits or seven pieces
Of cake at meal and the minute trace of alum
or other chemical In the ba king powder in that
much nutriment is inconsiderable, believe
Ycast-leavened bread is always more appetiz-
ing than baking. powdered bread
The whole question of the influence of leaven-
Ing upon digestion and health is of minor or
negligible Importance The important question
Is the denaturizing OF -four. If people will
realize that the paatability, food value diEesti-
bility and healthfulness of flour increases as
moro and more of the wheat kernel is ground
into the -four, then the great mills will gladly
n arket a real stat of life in place of the con-
stipating, blood starving, indigestibIe, refined
white substitute at present universally used in
this country. With real flour it would be Of
little consequence whether baking powder or
which baking powder might be used in cooking
Questions and Answers.
Golfer Is Disease of Youth am twenty
and have an exophthalmic goiter. Am Lot
rather young to be so afflicted? am constantly
conscious of my heart beating-it beats about
lis a minute Are these golfers success
fully operated upon? Can they be cured with
out operation? Is such operation dangerous?
Would pregnancy aggravate this type of goiter?
the mother be likely to be invalid after ..e
birth OF the baby. MRS r. s. A.
Answer.-No. golfer is most frequently OBJ
served In young people. Severe cases may de-
mand operation, but mild like yours can
generally be cured by the open-alr rest cure as
given for ncipient tuberculosis, plus medica ton
adapted TO individual conditions. The opera ton
for eXophthalmic Eoiter is. of course. serious
owing to the bad condition of the patient, hut
often less dangerous than the disease itself will
be II not controlled. Pregnancy may greatly
would not affect the baby, excepting any
defect of health in the mother naturally inter
feres with normal nutrition and growth OF
the baby. IF confinement successfully
wcathcred, the mother would probably gain in
health afterward.