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Fwd: Re: TT-20 Anatomy lesson
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----- Forwarded message from chaiselongue@earthlink.net -----
Date: Thu, 04 Nov 2004 08:12:41 -0800
From: Carolyn <chaiselongue@earthlink.net>
Sandy: What's his name when he's at home? Other than the vernacular "going
for the jugular" - which probably refers to the vulnerable windpipe at
this spot - I think they await an artistic nomenclature.
-Sandy
Dear Sandy,
Not the windpipe, but the jugular vein (see below).
Carolyn
From: Sally Boyson, MD (emailwithheldbyrequestATalum.mit.edu)
Subject: jugular; going for the carotid!
Re anatomic words. I am a physician (neurologist), and was reminded today
about a common error in using the word jugular. I found my latest example
this spring, in an otherwise terrific cat mystery: "Claws and Effect", by
Rita Mae Brown. The victim died from a slash to the "jugular", causing blood
to spurt onto the walls. Well, this cannot be (although he could still have
exsanguinated from this)! The jugular is a vein, and even large veins do not
spurt blood onto walls (veins are a low-pressure system, no matter how
large).
What people really want when they say, "going for the jugular", or want
blood on the walls, is the carotid artery! This is the (paired) large artery
(high pressure system that spurts in time with the heart-beat) in the neck
that delivers fresh blood to the brain, while the jugular returns it to the
lungs/heart. It is next to the jugular vein. So, you can die from having
either slashed, but it will be faster and more dramatic if your carotid
artery is cut.
----- End forwarded message -----