330 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



latter conditions, and probably the last of these; and that 

 the two first are held of small account, or hardly of sufficient 

 gravity to allow of the word ' quittor ' being applied to them. 

 In fact, by defining quittor as a ' fistula.' or little pipe, we 

 have ourselves already indirectly restricted the use of the 

 word to the two latter conditions, for in those varieties 

 known as Simple or Cutaneous and Tendinous, the wound 

 is generally broad and open, or, at any rate, superficial, and 

 can scarcely be strictly described as ' fistulous.' In the two 

 latter, however, a true fistula exists. These, however, have 

 only one essential difference, and that consists simply in 

 the position of the lesion and the structures it has attacked. 

 In the main the symptoms will be the same, the disease in 

 each case about equally serious, and in each the same 

 essentials of treatment will have to be regarded. 



In our opinion, therefore, a lengthy classification serves^ 

 no useful end, and we think matters will be simplified by 

 considering quittor under two headings only — namely, 

 ' Simple or Cutaneous ' and ' Sub-horny,' and discussing 

 the other varieties as simply complications of either of 

 these two. 



1. Simple or Cutaneous Quittor. 



Definition. — This condition is simply a sloughing of a 

 portion of the skin of the coronet, together with a portion 

 of the immediately underlying soft structures. 



Causes. — This form of quittor has its origin more often 

 than not in contusions, punctures, or wounds of the region 

 severe enough to cause death of a small portion of the 

 tissues. In this case the low vitality of the parts does not 

 allow of the dead portion being removed piecemeal by a 

 process of phagacytosis, as is usually the case with similar 

 injuries elsewhere. Instead, the tissues around, aided by a 

 process of suppuration, cast the offending portion off as a 

 slough. It is the wound remaining after the slough which 

 we may really regard as a quittor. In this connection may 

 be considered as causes blows from falling shafts, self- 

 inflicted treads, or treads from other horses, overreach, etc. 



