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There are two large blood-vessels which run the entire length of the
chicken's neck, one on either side. The exact location of these great
dark veins may be readily seen on any hen, especially if she is held
head down for a moment before examination, and it is important that
every killer should learn by observation on the live bird just where
they are. Then the proper guiding of the knife will be an easy matter.
The gullet, or food passage, and the windpipe lie below and between
these veins, while just behind the ears and near to the base of the
skull there is a cross vein which connects the two larger ones.
From the diagram, Fig. 13, it
will be seen that this smaller vein does not run straight across, but
that the junction on the left side is nearer the ear than is that on
the right side. This fact is made use of in making the "cut to bleed,"
for one cut through that junction point which is nearer the head - that is, the one on the left side - causes a copious flow of blood and draws both veins. The point of incision lies not in the neck but at the very back of the mouth beyond the groove in its roof, and here the tissue is quite thin. A slight cut with a sharp knife is sufficient to bring the blood.
The exact location of the cut is back of the ear, a little to the left
of the median line as the head is held upside down in the hand, and
very close to the base of the skull. A severe cut, or one too far back, mangles the tissue and allows blood to clot and form a discoloured area in the neck near the head, instead of causing the blood to run freely from the mouth.
On the other hand, just in front of these junction points the veins
divide into many smaller ones which penetrate the skull beyond the
reach of the knife. A cut too far forward often intercepts some of
these veins, but the bleeding which results is not free and compete.
It is better to make one clean cut as shown in Fig. 13 than to attempt
to cut each vein separately, or to cut the cross vein alone, since
sometimes the blood pressure is not sufficient to overcome clotting,
and a complete drainage of blood is thus prevented.
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