302 THE HORSE. 



horse, but indicating that he has had sand-crack, and that a disposition to 

 sand-crack may possibly remain. There will also, in the generality of 

 cases, be some degree of tenderness in that quarter, which may produce 

 slight lameness when unusual exertion is required from the horse, or the 

 shoe is suffered long to press on the part. 



QUITTOR. 



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

 overreach ; but it may be the consequence of any wound in the foot, and 

 in any part of the foot. In the natural process of ulceration, matter is 

 thrown out from the wound. This precedes the actual healing of the part. 

 The matter which is thrown out in wounds of the foot is usually pent up 

 there, and, increasing in quantity, and thus urging its way in every direc- 

 tion, it forces the fleshy little 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 internal parts of the foot. These pipes or sinuses run in every direc- 

 tion, and constitute the essence of quittor. 



If it arise from a wound in the bottom of the foot, the matter which is 

 rapidly formed is pent up there, the nail of the shoe or the stub remains 

 in the wound, or the small aperture which was made is immediately closed 

 again. This matter, however, continues to be thrown out, and it separates 

 the horny sole from the fleshy one to a considerable extent, and at length 

 forces its way upward, and appears at the coronet, and usually at the 

 quarter, and there slowly oozes out ; but the aperture and the quantity 

 discharged are so small that the inexperienced person would form no idea 

 of the extent of the mischief within, and the difficulty of repairing it. The 

 opening may scarcely admit a probe into it, yet over the greater part of 

 the quarter and the sole the horn may have separated from the foot, and the 

 matter may have penetrated under the cartilages and ligaments, and into 

 the coffin joint; and not only so, but two mischievous results have been 

 produced, — the pressure of the matter wherever it has gone has formed 

 ulcerations that are indisposed to heal, and that require the application of 

 strong and painful stimulants to induce them to heal ; and, worse than this, 

 the horn, once separated from the sensible parts beneath, will never again 

 unite with them. 



It will be sufficiently plain that the aid of a skilful practitioner is here 

 requisite, and also the full exercise of the patience of the proprietor of the 

 horse. It may be necessary to remove much of the horny sole, which will 

 be speedily reproduced when the fleshy surface beneath can be brought to a 

 healthy condition ; but if much of the horn at the quarters must be taken 

 away, five or six months may probably elapse before it will be sufficiently 

 grown down again to render the horse useful. 



Measures of considerable severity are indispensable. The application of 

 some caustic will alone produce a healthy action on the ulcerated surfaces ; 

 but on the ground of interest and of humanity we. protest against that 

 brutal practice, or at least the extent to which it is carried, of coring out, 

 or deeply destroying the healthy as well as the diseased parts, and parts 

 which no process will again restore, which is pursued by many ignorant 

 smiths. The unhealthy surface must be removed, but the cartilages and 

 ligaments, and even portions of the bone, need not be sacrificed. 



The experienced veterinary surgeon will alone be able to counsel the pro- 

 prietor of the horse when, in cases of confirmed quittor, there is reasonable 

 hope of permanent cure. A knowledge of the anatomy of the foot is 

 necessary to enable him to decide what parts, indispensable to the action of 



