DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 383 



Treatment. — The first step in the treatment of an outbreak of quittor 

 should be the removal of all exciting causes. Crowding animals into 

 small corrals and stables, where injuries to the coronet are likel}' to 

 happen from trampling, especially among unl)roken range horses, must 

 be avoided as much as possible. 



Watering places accessible without having to wade through mud 

 are to be supplied. In towns, where the mud or dust is large!}* impreg- 

 nated with mineral products, it is not possible to adopt complete pre- 

 ventive measures. Much can be done, however, by careful cleaiising 

 of the feet and legs as soon as the animal returns from work. Warm 

 water should be used to remove the mud and dirt, after which the 

 parts are to be thoroughly dried with soft cloths. 



The means which are to be adopted for the cure of cutaneous quittor 

 vary with the stage of the disease at the time the case is presented for 

 treatment. If the case is seen early — that is, before anj^ of the signs 

 of suppuration have developed — the affected foot is to be placed under 

 a constant stream of cold water, with the object of arresting a further 

 extension of the inflammatory process. To accomplish this, put the 

 patient in slings in a narrow stall having a slat or open floor. Band- 

 age the foot and leg to the knee or hock, as the case may be, with flan- 

 nel bandages loosely applied. Set a tub or barrel filled with cold water 

 above the patient, and by the use of a small rubber hose of sufiicient 

 length make a siphon which will carry the water from the bottom of 

 the tub to the leg at the top of the bandages. The stream of water 

 should be quite small, and is to be continued imtil the inflammation 

 has entirely subsided or until the presence of pus can be detected in 

 the tumor. When suppuration has commenced the process should ))e 

 aided b}' the use of warm baths and poultices of linseed meal or boiled 

 turnips. If the tumor is of rapid growth, accompanied by intense 

 pain, relief is secured and sloughing largely limited by a free incision 

 of the parts. The incision should l)e vertical and deep into the tumor, 

 care being taken not to entirel}' divide the coronary band. If the 

 tumor is large, more than one incision ma}" l>e necessary. 



The foot should now be placed in a warm bath for half an hour or 

 longer and then poulticed. The hemorrhage produced by the cutting 

 and encouraged by the warm bath is generally very copious and soon 

 gives relief to the overtension of the parts. 



In other cases it will bo found that suppuration is well under way, 

 so that the center of the tumor is soft when the patient is first pre- 

 sented for treatment. It is always good surgery to relieve the tumor 

 of pas whenever its presence can be detected; hence in these cases a 

 free incision must be made into the softened parts, the pus evacuated, 

 and the foot poulticed. 



B}' surgical interference the tumor is now converted into an open 

 sore or ulcer, which, after it has been well cleaned by warm baths 

 and poultices applied for two or three days, needs to be protected by 



