QUITTOR. 321 



would attend the application of the caustic in order to eficct 

 this. A blister is rarely sufficiently active : but the application, 

 not too severely, of a heated flat or rounded iron to the coronet 

 at the injured part aflbrds the best chance of success — the edges 

 of the horn on either side of the crack being thinned, the hoof 

 supported, and the separated parts held together by a firm 

 encasement of pitch, as described vi^hen speaking of the treat- 

 ment of sand-crack. The coronet must be examined at least 

 once in every fortnight, in order to ascertain whether the desired 

 union has taken place ; and, as a palliative during the treatment 

 of the case, or if the treatment should be unsuccessful, a bar- 

 shoe may be used, and care taken that there be no bearhig at 

 or immediately under the separation of the horn. This will be 

 best effected, v/hen the crust is thick and the quarters strong, 

 by paring off a little of the bottom of the crust at the part, so 

 that it will not touch the shoe ; but if the foot is weak, an in- 

 dentation or hollow should be made in the shoe. Strain or con- 

 cussion on the immediate part will thus be avoided, and, in 

 sudden or violent exertion, the crack will not be so likely to 

 extend upward to the coronet, when whole and sound hern has 

 beo-un to be formed there. 



QUITTOR. 



This has been described as being the result of neglected or bad 

 tread or over-reach ; but it may be the consequence of any wound 

 in the foot, and in any part of the foot. In the natural process 

 Df ulceration, matter is thrown out from the wound. It precedes 

 the actual healing of the part. The matter which is secreted in 

 wounds of the foot is usually pent up there, and, increasing in 

 quantity, and urging its way in every direction, it forces the littlt* 

 fleshy plates of the coffin-bone, from the horny ones of the crust 

 or the horny sole from the fleshy sole, or even eats deeply, into the 

 mternal parts of the foot. These pipes or sinuses run in every 

 direction, and constitute the essence of quittor. 



If it arises from a wound in the bottom of the foot, the aper 

 ture may speedily close up, and the matter which continues to be 

 secreted is confined within, separating the horny from the fleshy 

 lole, until it forces its way upward and appears at the coronet 

 (usually at the quarter) and there slowly oozes out. The open- 

 ing and the quantity of matter discharged are so small, that al- 

 though over a great part of the quarter and sole the horn may 

 have separated from the coffin-bone, and the matter may have 

 penetrated even under the cartilages and ligaments, and into the 

 :;offiH-joint, but little mischief would be suspected by an unexpe- 

 21 n 



