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. 231), 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 
aslough. 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 
