DISEASES OF THE LATERAL CARTILAGES 331 



On the other hand, simple or cutaneous quittor may 

 occur without ascertainable cause. In this case we can 

 only explain its appearance, as we did that of simple 

 coronitis (see p. 281),. by attributing it to septic infection 

 through a wound or a blow that is able to inoculate the 

 skin, yet which is insufficient to cause pain, or in any other 

 way attract the attendant's notice. Meanwhile, the spot of 

 infection thus started spreads, and the end result is an 

 abscess in the coronary region, again accompanied with 

 necrosis and sloughing of more or less skin and other 

 tissue, which terminates by discharging its contents and 

 leaving behind a wound which again constitutes a cutaneous 

 quittor. Thus, as with simple coronitis, anything lowering 

 the vitality of the parts, and so favouring infection of the 

 skin, may bring about a quittor. Walking through much 

 water in the winter months, through the dirt and mud 

 of our streets, through melting ice and snow, or through 

 anything in the nature of a chemical irritant, may be looked 

 upon as a cause. 



Symptoms. — Whether commencing from an ascertainable 

 injury, or beginning at first unnoticed, cutaneous quittor 

 is characterized sooner or later by the appearance of an 

 inflammatory swelling, usually confined to the seat of injury. 

 Heat and tenderness are present, and the animal is lame. 



Later the inflammatory swelling becomes more profuse, 

 the animal is fevered, and the symptoms of lameness in- 

 creased. Poulticing is at this stage perhaps resorted to. 

 By its means the process of suppuration is aided, and the 

 swelling (at first tense and hard) either becomes gradually 

 softened, its contents discharged, and a simple abscess 

 cavity left behind, or the suppuration runs immediately 

 round the necrosed structures, and casts them off bodily as 

 a slough. This latter condition is always manifested, where 

 the hair does not hide it, by the colour of the skin. At 

 first this is only red in colour — the angry red of an inflamed 

 spot. As its intention to slough away becomes evident, the 

 red gradually gives way to a gray, or even blue-black 

 appearance, while from around it oozes a slight discharge 



