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.