A. WOUNDS OF THE CARTILAGES.
To a consideration of this we shall devote but little space. It is sufficient to say that any wound in the region of the coronet should always be given the most careful attention. More particularly should this be so when it is ascertained that the wound has involved one of the lateral cartilages. Wounds of non-vascular bodies such as these are always slow to heal, and, by reason of their slowness, invite septic infection. In many cases, in fact, it happens that they do not heal at all. Instead, the injured part becomes necrotic, is unable to cast itself off, and remains as a centre of infection in the depths of the wound, thus constituting what is known as a quittor.
Apart from this, it will be remembered that the internal face of the cartilage is in intimate contact with the pedal articulation, especially anteriorly. Wounds in this situation are, therefore, likely to penetrate the joint, giving us as a complication of the injury the conditions of synovitis and arthritis.
Immediately a wound is inflicted in this position, attempts should be made to insure thorough asepsis of the part. When possible, by far the better way of accomplishing this will be to wholly immerse the foot in a tub of cold antiseptic solution, and keep it there for an hour three times daily. During the time the foot is out of the solution the wound should be protected with a pad of carbolized tow or other suitable dressing, and wrapped in a linen bandage or clean bag. If unable to use the bath, then antiseptic solutions of more than moderate strength should be freely applied to the wound and the adjacent parts, a carbolized or other antiseptic pad placed over it, and the bandage adjusted as before. Repeated injuries to the cartilages, even if not attended with an actual wound, are apt to bring about their ossification and end in the formation of side-bones.
B. QUITTOR.
Definition.—A fistulous wound of the foot, usually opening at the coronet, and variously complicated according to the structures invaded by its contained pus. For the reason that quittor is in every-day veterinary nomenclature usually associated with necrosis or other abnormal condition of the lateral cartilage, we include its description in this chapter.
Classification.—It has been customary with Continental authors to classify quittor according to the extent and position of the diseased process. There were thus distinguished:
(a) The Simple or Cutaneous Quittor, in which had occurred nothing more than necrosis of a portion of the coronary skin and the structures immediately underlying it—that is, the superficial portion of the coronary cushion.
(b) The Tendinous Quittor, in which not only the immediately subcutaneous tissues were attacked, but also portions of tendon and of ligament.
(c) The Sub-horny Quittor, in which the diseased process had invaded the deeper portions of the coronary cushion, and continued a downward course until the laminal tissue below the upper margin of the wall was involved, or any other case, no matter what the starting-point, in which pus existed within the horny box and was discharging itself by a fistulous opening.