332 DISEASES OF THE HORSE’S FOOT 
of pus, yellow in colour and non-offensive, or blood-stained 
and dark in appearance, and foetid to the smell. 
Almost invariably these symptoms are added to by a 
more or less diffuse and cedematous swelling of the lower 
portion of the limb, extending in some cases to as high 
as the fetlock or the upper third of the cannon. 
With the casting off of the slough the phenomena of 
* inflammation to a great extent subside, the pain ceases, 
and the case under ordinary conditions commences to 
mend. 
Pathological Anatomy.—In its early stages the condition 
of simple or cutaneous quittor is really a condition of acute 
coronitis (see p. 229), and consists in an inflammation of 
the subcutaneous tissue, and the more superficial portions 
of the coronary cushion. The tissues implicated are de- 
stroyed outright, become infiltrated with the inflammatory 
exudate and escaped blood, and act as a source of irritation 
to the still-living tissues around. Under the irritation the 
latter, as we have said before, cast the necrosed portion 
away by a process of sloughing. 
Always, however, it is found that the portion to be 
sloughed off, while easily separated from the tissues adjacent 
to its sides, is closely connected on its lowermost or deeper 
face with the structures below, and cannot be torn away 
without hemorrhage and the causing of acute pain. 
Prognosis.—With wounds about the feet our forecast 
should always be guarded. Even with this, the most simple 
form of quittor, no decided opinion should be given until 
the progress of the case warrants one in reasonably assuming 
that complications are absent. Once this point is decided, 
a favourable prognosis may be given. 
Complications.—With cutaneous quittor various com- 
plications may arise, according to the extent of the invasion 
of the septic matter. Necrosis of tendon, of ligament, or of 
cartilage, caries of the bone, or a condition of synovitis and 
arthritis may be met with. As these complications are 
equally common to sub-horny quittor, we shall reserve their 
description until dealing with that condition. 
