DISEASES OF THE LATERAL CARTILAGES 343 
products within, and at the same time paves the way for 
operative measures which may be necessary later on. 
With the breaking of the abscess and the discharging of 
its contents, we may in some measure ascertain the con- 
dition we have to deal with. The probe is used, and the 
abscess cavity explored. The size of the wound, its depth 
below the upper margin of the wall, the structures involved, 
and other information, may be thus obtained. 
At first, however, the nature of the wound, and the 
character of the discharges, must largely guide us as to 
the treatment we adopt. In many cases, even where the 
abscess cavity is far below the upper margin of the wall, 
and is presumably in an unfit position to drain and heal, a 
a regular application of an astringent and antiseptic dress- 
ing is sufficient to bring about resolution. If, however, the 
discharge from the wound continues to be liquid, and the 
wound itself at one spot refuses to heal, it may be judged 
that a portion of necrotic tissue is situated under the wall, 
and affecting the lamine, the cartilage, or ligament, as the 
case may be. If this is so, then operative measures must 
be determined on (see Removal of the Wall, p. 349). 
Blisters.—Instead of the poultice and hot baths, the 
pointing of the abscess and the casting off of the slough 
may be brought about by the application of a sharp can- 
tharides blister. We have, in fact, seen many cases where 
this treatment was adopted prior to the formation of a 
fistula, and also in cases where one or more fistulous open- 
ings already existed, where repeated blisters to the coronet 
have alone been sufficient to effect a cure. 
We are bound to admit, however, that the treatments of 
poulticing and blistering are only expectant—we might 
almost say empirical. At any rate, we admit to ourselves 
that what we have advised and carried out is not in itself 
curative, but only a means of assisting Nature to satisfac- 
torily work her own ends. Empirical or not, however, we 
believe that in every case of quittor it is wise in practice to 
at first adopt some such simple measure, for in nearly every 
instance where operative measures are practised, the patient 
