31)0 BUliEAU OF ANi:iAL I^^DUSTKY. 



Symptoms. — When the disease commences as a primary inflamma- 

 tion of the cartilaoe, himeness develops with the formation of a swell-, 

 ing on the side of the coronet over the quarter. The severitj^ of this 

 lameness depends largely upon the part of the cartilage which is dis- 

 eased, for if the disease is situated in that part of the cartilage nearest 

 the heel, where the surrounding tissues are soft and spong}-, the lame- 

 ness ma}' be very slight, especially if the patient is required to go no 

 faster than a walk; but when the middle and anterior parts of the 

 cartilage are diseased, the pain and consequent lameness are much 

 greater, for the tissues are less elastic and the coffin joint is more 

 .likely to become affected. 



Except in the cases to be noted hereafter, one or more li.stulous 

 openings finally appear in the tumor on the coronet. These openings 

 are surrounded by a small mass of granulations which are elevated 

 above the adjacent skin and bleed readily if handled. A probe shows 

 these fistulous tracts to be more or less sinuous, but always leading to 

 one point — the gangrenous cartilage. When cartilaginous quittor 

 happens as a complication of suppurative corn, or from punctured 

 Avounds of the foot, the fistulous tract ma}' open alone at the point of 

 injury on the sole. 



The discharge in this form of quittor is generally thin, watery, and 

 contains enough pus to give it a pale yellow color; it is offensive to 

 the sense of smell, due to the detachment of small flakes of cartilage 

 which have become gangrenous and are seen in the discharge as sniall 

 greenish colored particles. In old cases it is not unusual to find some 

 of the fistulous openings heal at the surface; this is followed by the 

 gradual collection of pus in the deeper parts, forming an abscess, 

 Avhich in a short tim^ opens at a new point. The wall of the hoof, 

 over the affected quarter and heel, in very old cases, becomes rough 

 and wrinkled like the horn of a ram, and generally it is thicker than 

 the corresponding quarter, owing to the stimulating effect which the 

 disease has upon the coronary band. 



Complications may arise by an extension of the disease to the lateral 

 ligament of the coffin joint, to the joint itself, to the plantar cushion, 

 and by caries of the coffinbone. 



Treatinent. — Before recovery can tak(^ place all of the dead cartilage 

 nuist be removed. In rare instances this is effected by nature without 

 assistance. Usually, however, the disease does not tend to recovery, 

 and active curative measures must be adopted. The best and simplest 

 treatment, in a majority of cases, is the injection of strong caustic 

 solutions, which destroy the diseased cartilage and cause its discharge, 

 along with the other products of suppuration. In favorable cases 

 these injections will secure a healing of the wound in from two to 

 three weeks. While the saturated solution of sulphate of copper, or 

 a solution of 10 parts of bichloride of mercury to 100 parts of water, 



