Dangerous Food Adulteration

It consuméis prefer to buy an adulterated article of food because it 3an he liad at a lowerprice, they undoubtedly liave the right to do so, provTded the aiulterants are not of a cbaracter injurious to health. If such articles are not t'alsely sold as pure, and the eustomer is not deceived as to their real character, the transaction is not illegitimate. But the great rtanger in the traffic in adulterated food arises from the deception that is practised by manufacturera usually elassiug snch goods as pure. This is almost invariably done when the adulterant is one that is injurioua to health. For instance, manufacturéis of al urn and lime baking powders notonly fail'to inforra the public of the real eharacter of their goods, but carefully conceal the tact that they are made from these poisonous articles. Most of these manufacturéis also claim that their articles are pure and wholesome, whüe some go still further and proclaim boldly that they are crëhm oí tartar goods, or even the genuine Boyal Baking Powder itself. No eonsumer will buy aluin baking powders kumvingly. for it is well understood that they are detrimental to health. ïhe sale of lime and alum baking powders as pure and wholesome articles is, therefore, criminal, and it is satisfactory to notice that severa) persons engaged in such sale have airead y been brought to justice in the courts. The official analysts have recently been active in the pursnit of these dishonest articles. The bakini; powdera of several States have been carefully and criticallv examined. The officials are surprised at the large amountoflime and alum goods fuuncl. It is a siiíígestive fact that no bakiog powder except the Roy al has been found without either lime or alum, and niany contain both. l)v. Price's baking powder has been found to contain nearly 12 per cent. of lime; Cleveland's 11 per cent. of impurities; the phnsphatë powders over 12 per cent. of lime. The chief service of lime is to add weight. It is true that lime when subjected to heat gives off acertain amount of carbonic acid gas, but a qnick-lime is left - a caustic of most powerful nature. A small quantity of dry lime upon the tongue, or in the eye produces painful effects; how much more serious must these elícts be on the delicate membranes of the stomach, intestines and kidneys, more particularly of infants and children, and especially when the lime is taken into the svstem day after day, and with almost every meai. This is said by physicians to be one of the causes of indigestión, dyspëpsia, and those painful diseases of the kidneys now so prevalent. Adulteration with lime is quite as much to be dreaded as with alum, which has heretofore received the most eruphatic condemnation from food analysts, physicians and chemists, for the reason that while alum may be partially dissolved by the heat of the baking it is almost impossible to destroy or change the nature of the lime so that the entire amount in baking powders passes, with all its injurious proprieties, into the stomach. The large prolits from the manufacture of lime and alum baking powders has placed manv of them in the market. They are to be found in -the stock of almost every retail dealer, and are urged upon customers calling for baking powders upon all occasions. . Because of their well-known detrimental character it is desirable that prompt means be taken to suppress their manufacture. Pure baking powders are one of the chief aids to the cook in preparing perfect and wholesome food. While those are to be obtained by well-established reputation, like the Royal, of whose purity there has never been a question, it is proper to avoid all others.