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Chemist at work in the Municipal Laboratory, Brussels, Belgium. Here the samples of milk taken at random from the dog-carts by the public inspectors, are sent for bacteriological and chemical analysis.

ard, or if it has been watered, it is also destroyed, and the vendor arrested. Many thousands of quarts of milk are destroyed in this way each year in New York; and hardly a day passes that heavy fines, even up to $200, are not inflicted on dishonest dealers guilty of selling bad or impure milk. A second offense means that the dealer's permit will be entirely revoked. Most careful tab is kept on over 400 creameries, from which come from a million and a-half to a million and three-quarter quarts every day. Then, too, hundreds of angry citizens may bring in samples of doubtful milk, which is analyzed free of charge in the chemical laboratory; and woe unto the dealer from whom the sample was ob

ditions have vastly changed, however, in the last four years; and the number of infants who in summertime die from diarrhoeal diseases due to doctored milk (there were more than 6,000 such cases in the summer season of 1901), steadily grows less and less.

Such is the system in New York City. Strict as this may seem, however, the method is far stricter and the penalties more stringent in European cities. In London, the London County Council has inspectors going round the streets who are practically detectives and suddenly swoop upon itinerant tradesmen, to test not only the quality of their wares, but also their weights and measures. In the British metropolis the poor buy in ex

tremely small quantities-for example, a cent's worth, and even half a cent's worth of milk. The small dealers who cater to this trade are the worst offenders in the way of adulteration. They are not only fined when detected, however, but a second offense means double or triple fine, with added imprisonment and hard labor-which means utter ruin thereafter.

In Paris, much the same system obtains; but there the Municipal Laboratory under Professor Girard is perhaps the most elaborate in all Europe. This eminent chemist and bacteriologist has under him a very large staff of assistants; and their inspectors, with whom they are in constant touch all day, are so numerous as to cover the entire city and act with absolutely deterrent effect upon possible evil-doers.

In Belgium the system of milk inspection takes on a picturesque character, owing to the peculiar dog-drawn carts that parade the streets. The rolling country all around Brussels is fairly dotted with farms supplying the capital; and even on the historic battlefield of Waterloo are now established peaceful creameries that supply the big hotels of the City.

The milk is retailed to small women dealers, and by them hawked through the steep and narrow streets that radiate from the medieval Grande Place, in the queerest of carts drawn by one, two, and

three of the famous draught dogs of Belgium, each of whom may be so valuable to its owner by reason of his speed, endurance, and economy of maintenance that he may cost more than a full-sized donkey.

For the most part, the women walk hurriedly by the side of the milk cart; and on arriving at a customer's door, the dog-team flop themselves down with lolling tongues, glad of a few minutes' respite from the weary drag up steep cobble-paved lanes, leading from the lower city to the Place Royale quarter. But Brussels, too, fairly swarms with. milk inspectors from the Municipal Laboratory; and when Madame least expects it, she and her dog-team are pounced upon by a uniformed official, who takes from her a small sample of her wares, together with her name and address and the number of her license.

The milk-women well know what will happen if the milk they are selling is not up to a generous standard of purity and richness. And one point well worthy of note in this connection is that "graft" is absolutely unknown. In Paris, London, or Brussels, no guilty milk-dealer would ever dream of even attempting to bribe an inspector, as this is rated quite a serious crime, and under the law is held punishable by twelve months' imprisonment at hard labor, without the option of a fine.

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AMILLE DU GAST seated herself in her 35-horsepower racing car. The Tuilleries gardens filled to overflowing with the fairest Parisian devotees of motoring, scarcely afforded room for her to pilot her car along the white ribbon of street. With hands somewhat nervously clutching the steering wheel, her right foot lightly resting on the brake, her left feverishly waiting the word "Go," when in an instant it would release the clutch, the purring motor would be connected to the driving wheels, and the premier lady motorist of the world would be off on the long run from Paris to Madrid-which proved to be the most disastrous race in motoring annalsMadame du Gast sat the cynosure of all eyes. To her left was her sole companion on the hazardous trip, a factory mechanic commissioned as an aide. Scarcely had

the starting signal thrown the observers into a frenzy of excitement, when the white racing car flashed between the long lines of watchers. A few minutes later the gates of the city were left behind, and myriads of spectators lining the course to Bordeaux, the first stage of the race, waved "Vive la motoriste!" as the car bounded on beneath the hot summer sun of 1903. Madame du Gast was one of 200 contestants in the event, out of which number she was eighth to reach Bordeaux, where the officials called off the race because of the deplorable loss of life.

Two years before, France received its introduction to this intrepid lady motorist, at which date she startled society by entering her racing machine in a road race from Paris to Berlin, an event in which she was one of 100 contestants and in which she finished in nineteenth place. Her race was a laudatory procession. At

times her assistant had to cast from the car the bunches of flowers showered on her as she passed through the hamlets. and towns. At stopping points, men and women fought for the privilege of grasping her hand, and at the completion of the tour she was given an ovation.

In all of her races, Madame du Gast acted as mécanicien, assisted only by her aide in tasks where one person was not sufficient. When the motor failed to respond, she alighted, raised the covering, tested the ignition, adjusted the carbureter, replaced the covering, and started once again. When tires gave trouble en route, her hands were first in removing the ruined tire from the wheel and quickest in making a replacement. She lived with her machine, studying it as a horseman does his favorite steed. Nothing speaks better of her devotion to the car than her own words:

"I have full control of my car; I feel that she obeys me and will have to obey me, anyhow. She must go where I want her to go, in the way I want her to go; and the things I do in accomplishing this are very natural and quite simple. Then, too, you get to like your machine as one likes a horse. You love it; you take care of it; you know it almost like you know yourself. If you feel the car is not running right, the prettiest scenery along the road fails to attract, and you become sad, worried, and nervous. On the other hand, if everything goes well, you hear the motor 'purring' properly, and it readily responds to every movement you desire; you feel real happy, there is pleasure in traveling, and the beautiful scenery

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MADAME CAMILLE DU GAST. Noted French motorist.

takes on a prettier aspect. The pleasure of speed is rather an obscure sensation, yet is quite agreeable. At a speed of seventy miles per hour, if the road is straight and level, the sensation rapidly disappears and becomes less than that when traveling much slower on more hazardous roads."

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MADAME DU GAST IN 35-HORSE-POWER CAR IN PARIS-MADRID RACE.

Madame du Gast's behavior in the celebrated Paris-Madrid race revealed the true woman beneath the formidable head-dress and other motoring monstrosities. When approaching Bordeaux, traveling at over 70 miles per hour, she espied by the roadside. the overturned car of a friend. The application of brakes soon brought

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among the entrants in big speed contests, have made performances so very hazardous as to warrant their names being closely associated with the boldest. Madame Lockert, with her three lady companions, was the first motorist to make the continuous run from Paris to St. Petersburg, Russia, driving all the way herself, and making all tire and car repairs with her own hands. The trip aroused international interest a couple of years ago, chiefly owing to the route passing through parts of Russia which a motor-car had never before traversed, and where the occupants were frequently endangered by rash officials and hostile peasant bands.

Still another fair Parisian has enrolled in the ranks of famous motorists. Madame Le Blon, wife of a famous French racer, acted as mécanicien on her hus

the wheel and drove rapidly to the garage.

As yet, America has given few additions to the rôle of lady motorists, none of whom has achieved great prominence. Every day on the streets of the leading cities the largest gasoline machines are seen in the hands of competent women, who guide them with facility through the most congested streets, and, when in the open, are capable of making forty miles an hour. Many of these women share honors with their French contemporaries in their knowledge of the carbureter, the magneto, the brakes, and the many other parts that go to make up the somewhat complicated machine. Last year saw a lady drive a car 1,000 miles in one of the biggest American road events, and this year has witnessed several other notable performances.

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