576 
GEO. H. BERNS. 
thin greenish pus. At the same time the surrounding subcuta¬ 
neous cellular connective tissue becomes filled with plastic infil¬ 
trations, the skin loses its elasticity and becomes thickened and 
indurated ; the coronary band from constant irritation, by in¬ 
flammation of adjacent structures, is stimulated to increased ac¬ 
tivity and secretes an imperfectly formed horn, giving the wall 
of the foot a peculiar rough, brittle and rammy appearance. 
If perchance the fistulous tract closes up and the practitioner 
begins to hope for a speedy and favorable termination, he is 
very apt to be undeceived in a week or two, when his patient 
will again become very lame, the parts again begin to swell* 
new abscesses form and new fistulous tracts follow ; this pro¬ 
cess, in spite of the most careful and skillful treatment on the 
part of the attending veterinarian, continues for months without 
any appreciable change, or it may assume an acute character, 
the synovial capsule of the distal phalangeal articulation or its 
ligaments, the coronary band, the entire keratogenic apparatus, 
may become involved in acute suppurative inflammation, caus¬ 
ing casting off of the entire horny foot, and from absorption of 
the septic material which, in this stage, is so abundantly 
formed, produce blood-poisoning of the entire system. 
The causes of quittor are numerous and diversified. Nat¬ 
ural conformation predisposes the low flat foot, with oblique 
heels, to diseases of the quarters and basilar processes of the 
pedal bones, to injuries to the soles, to quarter cracks, brokeu 
bars, etc.; all of which are in many instances direct causes of 
quittor. The strong boxy foot is predisposed to contraction of 
the heels and quarter cracks from this cause, diseases of the 
bars, deep-seated, blind or suppurating corns, which may also 
be instrumental in the formation of. quittor. Nail wounds or 
pricks in shoeing, producing acute suppurative inflammation 
and extending to the coronary band, the skin, cellular sub-coro¬ 
nary tissue and finally the lateral cartilage. Direct injuries to 
the pastern and coronet, accidental causes, frost bites, septic cel¬ 
lulitis ; in fact, almost any inflammatory condition of any part 
of the foot is sometimes followed by this disease. 
