ALUM IN FOODS. 3 



days the quantity of alum used wak 2 grams x (30.866 grains) a day for 

 each man; in the next 10 days the dose was doubled. Afterwards 

 for 30 days the baking powder residue was treated so as to wash out 

 everything except the compounds of aluminum with hydrogen and 

 oxygen (aluminum hydroxide), the dose at first being the amount 

 obtained from 4 grams 2 (61.732 grains) of alum per man per day, 

 which was increased in the second 10 days to 6 grams 3 (92.598 grains) 

 and in the third 10 days to 10 grams (154.330 grains) of alum. Finally, 

 in a period of 10 days, the dose was the sodium sulphate consumed 

 when 4 grams of alum were used, this compound being the cathartic 

 ingredient which is left in bread by alum baking powder. 4 



Dr. Taylor conducted experiments with a squad of eight men from 

 October 8, 1911, to May 10, 1912, with an intermission from December 

 16 to January 14. In this case also the powder was not used in 

 bread, but was administered in wafers or dissolved in water. Six 

 of the subjects took the aluminum compounds, while the other two 

 took milk sugar, the men themselves not knowing which they were 

 taking. There were two groups of experiments in which the whole 

 squad took part. In the experiments of the first group, winch ran 

 from October 8 to December 16, tests were made with alum alone. 

 The dose at first was such as to give each man 0.1 gram 5 (1.5433 

 grains) of aluminum a day and was increased from time to time until 

 the daily dose was 0.298 gram 8 (4.599 grains) of aluminum for each 

 man. The second group r-an from January 14 to May 10. Tests 

 were made with the residue from alum baking powder; tests were 

 also made with certain aluminum compounds (aluminum hydroxide 

 and aluminum chloride) which may be found in the residues from 

 alum baking powders of different kinds, and with sodium sulphate, 

 the purgative salt left in bread by alum baking powders. The 

 smallest dose of the compounds containing aluminum gave each man 

 0.227 gram 7 (3.503 grains) of aluminum a day, while the largest dose 

 gave 0.969 gram 8 (14.954 grains) of aluminum a day. The dose of 

 the purgative salt (sodium sulphate), in which there is no aluminum, 



1 Approximately equivalent to 2J level teaspoonfuls of alum baking powder. Equivalent to about 0.223 

 gram (3.44 grains) of aluminum. 



2 Approximately equivalent to 4| level teaspoonfuls of alum baking powder. 



3 Approximately equivalent to 6^ level teaspoonfuls of alum baking powder. These amounts of alum 

 are equivalent to about 0.44 gram (6.86 grains), 0.67 gram (10.29 grains), and 1.11 grams (17.15 grains) of 

 aluminum. 



* Editorial note: Sodium sulphate or Glauber's salt is a substance derived from the interaction of alum 

 and baking soda in making bread with alum baking powders and is of itself a cathartic, formerly much used 

 medicinally. Cream of tartar baking powder, when used in bread, by a similar interaction produces a 

 cathartic substance known as sodium tartrate. Phosphate baking powders when used in making bread 

 produce a cathartic substance known as sodium phosphate. Cream of tartar and phosphate baking powders 

 produce catharsis, similar to that produced by alum baking powders, when used in quantities. 



6 Approximately equivalent to a level teaspoonful of alum baking powder. 

 < Approximately equivalent to 3 level teaspoonfuls of alum baking powder. 



7 Approximately equivalent to £J level teaspoonfuls of alum baking powder. 



8 Approximately equivalent to 10 level teaspoonfuls of alum baking powder. 



