Directions for Locating and Injecting the Carotid Artery.
The Carotid Artery lies nearer the surface, midway between the angle of
the lower jaw and the top of the collar bone being deeper under the
surface at the bottom of the neck. It is, however, desirable to make the
incision as low in the neck as possible in order to avoid leaving the
marks of it visible. Begin the incision on either side of the neck at a
point half way between the thyroid cartilage (or Adam’s apple) and the
top of the collar bone cutting downward. By reference to the plate
illustrating the location and course of this artery you will note the
place marked for the incision. The course of the Carotid Artery is in a
line drawn from the angle or bend of the collar bone where it joins the
Sternum or breast bone, upwards towards the ear, and it is at the side
of and almost touching the windpipe at the top of the collar bone, but
recedes backwards from the windpipe and comes nearer to the surface as
it passes upwards. It is contained in a sheath which incloses also the
internal jugular vein which lies close to and on the outer side of the
artery.
[Illustration: See dotted line for place for making the incision.]
Having taken up the artery, make a slit or cut in it lengthwise about
three eights of an inch in length and insert the point of the syringe
towards the body (_never towards the head when you are injecting into
the Carotid Artery_), securing the artery to the syringe point with
strong thread; also tie the artery above the syringe point, that nothing
may run out from that end of the slit. Now proceed to inject the
Preservative and continue to slowly force it into the artery as long as
you can do so with moderate pressure of the syringe bulb, but
discontinue when the veins in the forehead begin to show a slight
distention. Then let it remain about two hours by which time the
Capillary veins will have absorbed a portion of the Preservative already
injected, when you will find it easy to inject about one-third as much
more into the artery.
For most cases one injection is sufficient, but to keep a body for
months it is well to repeat the injection the second day or the third
day, the Preservative being largely absorbed by that time. After the
injection is completed tie the artery below the point of the syringe
securely, remove the syringe point, and sew up the cut.
[Illustration: [Fleuron]]