278 QUITTOIt. 



QUITTOR. 



Any injury which can cause the internal parts of 

 the foot to suppurate may produce a quittor. Corn, 

 overreach, tread, bruise of the sole, stabs of the feet, 

 in short, as was before mentioned, any injury which 

 could originate inflammation of sufficient energy to 

 start up suppuration, will end in quittor. Pus is 

 secreted; but it cannot escape through the horny 

 wall, or very rapidly find its way through the fibrous 

 substance of the coronet. The matter, thus confined, 

 goes on increasing; and, as it must go somewhere, it 

 causes absorption in various directions; wherever the 

 parts are most yielding the pus penetrates, thus giving 

 rise to numerous pipes or sinuses. 



Pus has been thrown out; it has found its way 

 under the crust, and among the sensitive parts. Irre- 

 parable mischief is sometimes done by this process. 

 The most favourable state of the case is when matter 

 breaks out at the coronet, soon after the lameness is 

 perceived. But, occasionally, either the farrier has 

 been very careless in his examination of the foot; or 

 no notice has been taken of the lameness until the 

 matter has burrowed in every direction; it has in- 

 sinuated itself under the cartilages and ligaments, and 

 into the interior of the foot. None but very general 

 rules, therefore, can be laid down for the treatment of 

 quittor ; and no one but a skilful practitioner should 

 be employed in such a case. 



When suppuration has commenced, there is always 

 great heat of the foot, and excessive lameness. The 

 arteries of the pastern throb violently ; while the heels 



