DISEASES OF THE LATEEAL CARTILAGES 335 



With the patient thus secured we first of all ascertain by 

 means of the probe whether or no the non-healing of the 

 wound is due to the presence of a fistula. Decided in the 

 negative, we take an ordinary flat firing-iron, and with it 

 cut away a portion of the skin immediately around the still 

 open wound, carrying our incisions deep enough to ' scoop ' 

 out a large portion of the new inflammatory tissue beneath. 

 With the loss of pressure from beneath, occasioned by the 

 removal of so much of the cicatricial tissue, the epidermis 

 the more readily closes over the wound. To a large extent 

 also this new growth of epidermis is helped by the renewal 

 of the inflammatory phenomena brought into being with 

 the cauterization. 



2. Sub-horny Quittor. 



Definition.- — A fistulous wound of the foot in which the 

 lower and blind end of the fistula is situated below the 

 level of the coronary margin of the wall. 



Causes. — These, again, will be practically the same as 

 those mentioned in the cause of cutaneous quittor — 

 namely, bruises, punctures, wounds — in fact, any injury 

 upon the coronet severe enough to cause death of tissue 

 and a suppurating wound. We may thus expect sub-horny 

 quittor to follow upon treads, overreach, accidental injuries 

 with the stable-fork, and kicks from other animals. 



Sub-horny quittor may also arise without original injury 

 at all to the coronet. Either from a violent blow upon the 

 hoof, or from the animal himself kicking violently against 

 a wall, death of a portion of the sensitive structures takes 

 place within the hoof, suppuration ensues, and the forma- 

 tion of quittor commences. With the escaj^e of the pus at 

 the coronet the quittor is fully formed. 



Any other diseased condition of the foot in which sup- 

 puration is present may in like manner terminate in quittor. 

 In complicated sand-crack, suppurating corn, or in ordinary 

 pricked foot quittor may be a sequel. In these conditions 

 the pus formation either goes unnoticed or is neglected, 

 and after seriously invading the sensitive structures within 



