26 



quality, cream of tartar powders ; second quality, phosphate powders;' 

 third quality, alum powders. 

 The analysis resulted as follows : 



First quality, cream of tartar 8 



Second quality, phosphate 2 



Third quality, alum '20 



ORANGE CIDER. 



An article claimed to be pure orange juice was found on sale as 

 orange cider, and upon analysis proved to be only " sweetened water, 

 sharpened up with citric and tartaric acids and flavored with the oil or 

 extract of orange." The cost was about 16 cents. It was retailed at 

 $2.50 a gallon. 



The sale of this product reached very large proportions, but in ten 

 days after the fraud had been published the whole business collapsed. 

 (See page 14, Ohio D. Keport.) 



In many lines of food and drink products, however, the evils can only 

 be ended by national laws and by the establishment of a national com- 

 mission, which can reach the great manufactories, refineries, rectifying 

 establishments, spice-mills, etc., and have supervision of all the 

 channels of commerce and trade without the obstructions and limita- 

 tions of State lines. 



Mr. John J. Geghaii, assistant dairy and food commissioner for Ohio, 

 in his report says : 



A great amount of baking powder sold in our market is not fit for food, and should 

 be condemned as injurious to health. There is such a competition among the manu- 

 facturers of this so-called baking powder that with each bill of this stuff, which 

 they sell to retail grocers, they give a large amount of glassware, which is offered as 

 an inducement to the purchasers. This is a nefarious scheme and should not be 

 countenanced by the public. But it seems the public likes to be humbugged ; rea- 

 soning sense ought to teach us that the manufacturer of baking powder can not afford 

 to give glassware as a present to each customer unless he makes up for the cost 

 of the glassware by the high price he receives for his worthless stuff. Baking 

 powder is used extensively, and the ingredients entering into its composition should 

 be pure and healthy. Alum, an injurious mineral, is substituted for cream of tartar, 

 a vegetable substance, so as to cheapen the cost to the manufacturer of the so-called 

 baking powder. If the manufacturer is honest he should discontinue the custom of 

 offering prizes as an inducement to the people to buy his worthless goods, and use in 

 the manufacture of baking powder good and healthy substances. 



Mr. Geghan, it will be seen, pronounces alum an unhealthy mineral. 

 Commissioner Hurst, in his circular heretofore alluded to, on page 8 

 says: 



Pure alum is undoubtedly a hurtful salt, and. the resultant salts from its combina- 

 tion with soda can scarcely be less hurtful. 



And yet this is a question about which " doctors disagree," and any 

 number of conflicting opinions and certificates can be had from emi- 

 nent chemists on either side of this question. 



The official investigation of this class of baking powders made in 



