OF FARRIERY. 



255 



uncommon occurrence, farriers thought that a 

 portion of offending bone, in every instance, 

 was a part of the disease ; and until they can 

 produce a separation of a part of the lateral 

 cartilage, which they consider when it ap- 

 pears, as the very " quittor bone," they 

 sought for ; and until this appears, they are 

 not contented, but prolong the treatment to 

 produce the desired end. However, we will 

 proceed to our method of cure. 



Tlie first thing to be done, is to examine 

 well with a probe the extent of the ulcer, with 

 the number and direction of the pipes. Should 

 one of the pipes run inward, and come in 

 contact with a firm hard body, it is more than 

 probable the bone is bare. Portions of the 

 cofiin-bone have been known to slough off; 

 but I never knew a Horse recover when that 

 has been the case. If the capsular ligament 

 become ulcerated, and the joints exposed, 

 such a case is a hopeless one, when the pipes 

 run at the back of the cartilages ; but when 

 these take an inward direction, they produce 

 a hopeless case. But If the direction of the 

 sinuses be outward and downward, or back- 

 ward towards the heels, the cure then may 

 not prove difficult. The next object is to 

 stimulate the parts to an healthy action as 

 early as possible, and which may be done by 

 introducino- any of the followino- : — verdigris, 

 or corrosive sublimate, finely powdered ; but- 

 ter of antimony, arsenic, solutions of potash, 

 and lunar caustic. These are all excellent 

 remedies for the disease. Prudence and hu- 

 manity dictate we should use the mildest first. 

 Therefore try zinc, powdered fine, and fill the 

 orifice full, gently pressing it to the bottom of 

 the wound ; fill up to the skin nearly, and lay 

 a bit of tow ovfer the sore, then gently bind on 

 -vith a bit of broad iape Keep the Horse as 



quiet as possible ; he must not be allowed to 

 go out to grass or to work. Having laid down 

 one part of the treatment of quittor, we shaU 

 give the other. Have the milder means too 

 often failed, or were they not well attended 

 to? Therefore you must make use of liqi>id 

 stimulant, with which you will be able to reach 

 all the sinuses. Tincture of cantharides, 

 with turpentine, or a mild solution of caustic 

 alkali, or the lunar caustic, introducing small 

 plegits of tow, of which erer of the above you 

 may select, or which may appear to agree 

 best with combatting the disease. Should 

 these also fail in producing the desired object, 

 more active stimulants must be had recourse 

 to ; and to do which, mix about an ounce of t;ir 

 with finely powdered corrosive sublimate, then 

 take small pieces of tow, and impregnate well 

 with the mixture ; then place one of the 

 plegits thus impregnated, at the end of your 

 probe, and lightly press it to the bottom of the 

 sinus. Do the same until vou have cliarffcd 

 every one ; tlien fill up to the top of the ori- 

 fice with the mixtures : be cautious when 

 introducing your plegits, to use a light hand, 

 and not do it by force. If the quittor should 

 be what the farriers call foal, mix a dram of 

 verdigris with the above. It would be well 

 to thin the horn a little round the parts, as it 

 will have a tendency to remove the pain that 

 naturally must arise. Let the dressing remain 

 in for two or three days, until sloughing takes 

 place ; if the parts lOok red and clean, you 

 may naturally expect by simple dressings of 

 tincture of myrrh the wound will heal, from 

 its healthy appearance. 



If unfortunately this should not be the case, 

 you must proceed again in the same manner 

 as before, until a healthy appearance is put 

 on. During the application of tiiese remedies, 



