DISEASES OF HORSES 265 



the fifth, a doughy-feeling tumor will be found forming on the heel 

 or quarter. This tumor grows rapidly, feels hot to the touch, and is 

 extremely painful. As the tumor develops, all the other symptoms 

 increase in intensity; the pulse is rapid and hard; the breathing 

 quick; the temperature elevated three or four degrees; the appetite 

 is gone; thirst increased, and the lameness so great that the foot is 

 carried in the air if locomotion is attempted. At this stage of the 

 disease the patient generally seeks relief by lying upon the broad 

 side, with outstretched legs ; the coat is bedewed with a clammy sweat, 

 and every respiration is accompanied by a moan. The leg soon swells 

 to the fetlock; later this swelling gradually extends to the knee or 

 hock, and in some cases reaches the body. As a rule, several days 

 elapse before the disease develops a well-defined abscess, for, owing 

 to the dense structure of the bones, ligaments, and tendons, the sup- 

 puratiye process is a slow one, and the pus is prevented from readily 

 collecting in a mass. 



Treatment. The treatment of tendinous quitter is to be di- 

 rected toward the saving of the foot. First of all an effort must be 

 made to prevent suppuration ; and if the patient is seen at the begin- 

 ning, cold irrigation, recommended in the treatment for cutaneous 

 quittor, is to be resorted to. Later on, when the tumor is forming on 

 the coronet, the knife must be used, and a free and deep incision 

 made into the swelling. Whenever openings appear from which 

 pus escapes, they should be carefully probed; in all instances these 

 fistulous tracts lead down to dead tissue which nature is trying to re- 

 move by the process of sloughing. If a counter opening can be 

 made, which will enable a more ready escape of the pus, it should be 

 done at once; for instance, if the probe shows that the discharge 

 originates from the bottom of the foot, the sole must be pared through 

 over the seat of trouble. Whenever suppuration has commenced the 

 process is to be stimulated by the use of warm baths and poultices. 

 The pus which accumulates in the deeper parts, especially along 

 the tendons, around the joints, and in the hoof, is to be removed by 

 pressure and injections made with a small syringe, repeated two or 

 three times a day. As soon as the discharge assumes a healthy char- 

 acter and diminishes in quantity, stimulating solutions are to be in- 

 jected into the open wounds. Where the tendons, ligaments, and 

 other deeper parts are affected, a strong solution of carbolic acid 1 

 to 4 should be used at first. Or strong solutions of tincture of 

 iodine, sulphate of iron, sulphate of copper, bichloride of mercury, 

 etc., may be used in place of the carbolic; after which the remedies 

 and dressings directed for use in simple quittor are to be used. In 

 those cases where the fistulous tracts refuse to heal it is often neces- 

 sary to burn them out with a saturated solution of caustic soda, 

 equal parts of muriatic acid and water; or, better still, with a long, 

 thin iron, heated white hot. 



But no matter what treatment is adopted, a large percentage of 

 the cases of tendinous quittor fail to make good recoveries. Where 

 the entire hoof sloughs away, the growth of a new, but soft and im- 

 perfect, hoof may be secured by carefully protecting the exposed tis- 



