Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1891 — IS ALUM POISONOUS? [ARTICLE]

IS ALUM POISONOUS?

Hall’s Journal at Health. This question has caused a good deal of discussion. Alum is used by many bakers to whiten their bread, enabling them to use an inferior flour. It-is most extensively employed as • cheap substitute for cream of tartaz in the manufacture of baking powders. It has not been considered immediately dangerous, although if continued it induces dyspepsia aud obstinate constipation. But the fact that many cases of poisoning hav< occurred from the use of alum, puts the question in a more serious aspect, and prudent people will exercise cau- « tion in the selection of baking pow< ; ders.” , - j “Under what conditions, then, j does this substance —formerly used ; only for mechanical or medicinal purposes—become poisonous? They are certainly obscure, and at present we can only surmise what they may be., We suspect that the cause exists in the individual poisoned; some peculiarity of the constitution producing a fnorbid change in the secretions of •the stomach, with which the alum com bines and forms an active poison; or the secretions may be healthy but in unusual proportions, and that these less or greater proportions in combination with the alum constitute a poison." For example, two parts of mercury and two parts of chlorine form calo-’ mel, which is not poisonous, but change the proportions to one part mercury and two parts of chlorine,’ and we get corrosive sublimate, which is a deadly poison. “Then again’we know nothing ol the constitutional peculiarities. Why is it that one person can eat all kinds of green fruits and vegetables with impunity, while the same course might cost another individual his life? One person can handle poison ivy and sumac without being in the least affected; another is poisoned if he approaches to within ten feet oi them. Out of a family residing in a malarial district, some of the mem’ bers will suffer half the year with fever and ague, while the others will enjoy excellent health during the entire year. Foods that are whole-; some to some persons are actually poisonous to others. This is especially true of some kinds of fish. There is no safety in taking alum into the stomach, as it is shown to be always injurious, and often dangerous.’’

The Scientific American published in a recent number a list of alum and ammonia baking powders, which is of great value at this time. Following is the list compiled from official, reports. Powders marked with a star seem to have a general sale, as they are mentioned in at least two of the official reports. •ATLANTIC 4 PACIFIC. *ROYAL. COOKS’S FAVORITE. SCIOTO. CROWN. SILVER SPOON. CRYSTAL. SILVER STAR. DAISY. *SNOWDRIFT. *DAVIB’ O. K, SOVEREIGN. DRY YEAST. STAR. GEM. STATE. GLOBE. STANDARD. *KENTON. SUNFLOWER. DEARSON’s. WASHINGTON. PERFECTION. WINDSOR. PEERLESS. ZXPP’S GRAPE. PURITY. CRYSTAL. There are, in addition to the foregoing list from the Scientific American, a number of such powders sold, in the western that were not found in the eastern stores. Fallowing is the list to date: CALUMET - - 1 „ Contains Alam. (Calumet Baking Powder Co., Chicago.) FOREST CITY - Contains Ammonia Alum. (Vouwie Bros., Cleveland.) CHICAGO YEAST. - Contains Ammonia Alum. (Clapman Smith Co.>

Chicago.) BON BON - • Contains Alum. HOTEL - - Contains Ammonia Alum. (J. C. Grant Bakiug Powder Co.. Chicago.) UNRIVALED - - Contains Alum. (Spragues, Warner <fc Griswold, Chicago.) ONE SPOON, TAYLOR’S - Ammonia Alum. (Tavlor Mfg. Co., St Louis.? YARNALL’S *. - Contains Alum. (Yamall Mfg. Co,, St. Louis.) SHAW’S SNOW PUFF - Contains! Alum. (Mercantile Mfg. Association, SL Louis.) DODSON & HLL’S - Contains Alum. (Dodson ic Hil’s. St. Louis.) SHEPARD’S - Contains Ammonia Alum. (Wm. H. Shephard, St. Louis.) BAIN’S - Contains Alum. (Meyer-Bain Mfg. Co., St. Louis.) MONARCH - Contains Ammonia Alum. (Reid, Murdoch Jt Co., Chicago.) SNOW BALL - Contains Alum. (Bengal Coffee & Spice Mil is, Chicago.) GIANT - - • Contains Alum. MILK - - - Contains Alum. (W. F. McLaughlin &Co., Chicago.) ECHO ... Contains Alum. (Spencer Blueing Paddle Co., Chicago.) KALBFELL’S PURITY Con taint Alum. (Kjalbfell Mfg. Co., Chicago.) RISING SUN - Contains Ammonia. (Phoenix Chemical Works, Chicago.) WHITE ROSE - Contains Ammonia Alum. (Globe Cotfoe & Spice Mills, Minneapolis.) WOOD’S ACME - Contains Ammonia. (Thos. Wood & Co., Philadelphia.) ANDREWS’ PEARL - Contains Ammonia. (C. E. Andrews & Co., Milwaukee.) HARRIES’ FAVORITE Contains Alum, (H. H. Harries, Minneapolis.) FIDELITY - - Contains Alum. SOLAR --- Contains Alum. (Sherman Bros., Chicago.) PUTNAM’S BEST - Contains Alum. (Wells, Putnam <t Co.. Chicago.) CHINA ’T” HOUSE - Contains Alum. (Noah McDowell, SL Pau), Minn.) TWIN CITY - - Contains Alum. » (J. K. Ferguson, Minneapolis, Minn.) HERCULES - Contains Ammonia. (Hercules Baking Powder Co., San Francisco.) CLIMAX - Contains Ammonia, (Climax Baking Powder Co., Indianapolis.)

There are pure cream tarter bakng powders on the market. All authorities report Dr. Price’s Cream Baking Powder as free from Alum, Ammonia, Lime or any other adulterant. The purity of this brand baa never been questioned. ,i Put fresh fish in salted water for half an hour* before cooking it. It hardens the fish and improves the flavor. '• v Never boil vinegar; it tends to weaken it. -