What other arteries might a vampire have easy access to?
October 15, 2023 5:56 PM Subscribe
Vampires seem to always go for the carotid artery in pop culture. I'm assuming it's because 1) it's easily accessible and 2) the neck is considered an erogenous zone.
But what if a vampire couldn't access their victim's neck, or... I dunno... is asexual and just hungry, for pete's sake? What are some other arteries on the human body that would be good alternatives? I'm assuming they need something that is fairly close to the surface, and I think they're more interested in arteries because the blood is fresher, right?
If you have any examples in pop culture that show a vampire going for something other than a carotid, do share (though that isn't necessary in order to answer the question)!
If you have any examples in pop culture that show a vampire going for something other than a carotid, do share (though that isn't necessary in order to answer the question)!
Best answer: Everyplace you can take a pulse has an artery near the surface.
Sing to the tune of "Head, shoulders, knees and toes":
Temporal (temple), carotid (neck), brachial (armpit), radial (inside of wrist), femoral (groin) popliteal (back of knee), tibial (back of ankle) and pedal (top of foot).
posted by agentofselection at 6:26 PM on October 15, 2023 [13 favorites]
Sing to the tune of "Head, shoulders, knees and toes":
Temporal (temple), carotid (neck), brachial (armpit), radial (inside of wrist), femoral (groin) popliteal (back of knee), tibial (back of ankle) and pedal (top of foot).
posted by agentofselection at 6:26 PM on October 15, 2023 [13 favorites]
My sweet little reactive dog always goes for the femoral artery
posted by Morpeth at 6:31 PM on October 15, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Morpeth at 6:31 PM on October 15, 2023 [3 favorites]
In "What We Do In The Shadows" they often use the radial artery when doing vampire-to-vampire stuff, or stuff other than feeding.
posted by credulous at 6:34 PM on October 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by credulous at 6:34 PM on October 15, 2023 [4 favorites]
Ankles. Super tasty even if you aren't a vampire. That's where the nectarines are hidden.
posted by vrakatar at 7:27 PM on October 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by vrakatar at 7:27 PM on October 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: "Fresher" isn't exactly how I would describe the difference between arterial and venous blood. Certainly, the blood pool is of a uniform age across the arterial and venous circulation if we're talking about how "old" the various blood components are. Venous blood has a lower oxygen content, but it doesn't seem obvious to me that that's a quality vampires care about (certainly some pop culture vampires are depicted as not breathing at all, suggesting they are at least indifferent to oxygen).
Logistically, an arterial puncture is going to lead to a higher flow rate and much more rapid exsanguination—if a vampire cares about keeping their subject alive (e.g. in True Blood), it would make more sense to access a large vein like the internal jugular, which is conveniently in roughly the same locations as the carotids. Speaking as a doctor who routinely accesses the internal jugular (with a needle, not my teeth; to deliver medications, not to drink blood), it's generally quite a bit easier to find and puncture than the carotid (larger target, thinner walls, closer to the skin surface).
posted by telegraph at 7:42 PM on October 15, 2023 [10 favorites]
Logistically, an arterial puncture is going to lead to a higher flow rate and much more rapid exsanguination—if a vampire cares about keeping their subject alive (e.g. in True Blood), it would make more sense to access a large vein like the internal jugular, which is conveniently in roughly the same locations as the carotids. Speaking as a doctor who routinely accesses the internal jugular (with a needle, not my teeth; to deliver medications, not to drink blood), it's generally quite a bit easier to find and puncture than the carotid (larger target, thinner walls, closer to the skin surface).
posted by telegraph at 7:42 PM on October 15, 2023 [10 favorites]
The carotid and the jugular are erotic, but not explicitly sexual. You can have a bite there with all the clothes on, so it's a popular choice that prevents nudity on screen. I've read a lot of questionable vampire pornography over the years and the femoral is a big hit due to its location. It's well positioned for other activities and I've had more than one moment of "I'm going to head south on her and bite her femoral while I'm down there" in that kind of fiction.
posted by Jilder at 10:18 PM on October 15, 2023
posted by Jilder at 10:18 PM on October 15, 2023
Honestly, the Carotid is easily the best bet for getting a moderate amount of blood, because it is near the surface and can be reached without having to mangle your poor victim. You can get good access to the Carotid if you are both either standing or sitting, it it does not require you to disrobe your snack, and when you are done, the donation site is easily covered up again by simply re-buttoning their collar. Another advantage is that if there is any significant post-feeding leakage, it will tend to run down on the inside of the their clothing. But there probably won't be much leakage. You know that first aid rule about elevating a wound to stop it bleeding? Same reason. When you feed above the heart there is much less mess.
Obviously if you are interrupted when you use the Carotid, you can pretend you were leaning over to whisper to them. Now consider that if you use the femoral artery, any unexpected witness is going to presume you are doing something of an entirely different carnal nature. It will be painfully embarrassing all round.
Brachial arteries are better than the femorals, but at the same time you're going to basically have to pull their shirt off and stuff your nose into their armpit. Someone unexpectedly seeing you at it is going to stop short and stare, trying to figure out what in the world you are doing. If you are caught fang deep in the carotid they will likely assume you're just one of those romantic European kissers, and that you've been reading too many bodice rippers. Nothing romantic about feeding from a nest of armpit hair.
The other drawback of the Brachial artery is that you're in an awkward position if your meal turns out to be ticklish. It's easy enough to deal with flinches and flailing about when you're going for the neck. Not so much if your head is trapped under their turtleneck shirt. Trust me, you don't want to be semi-squatting and putting your head up their jumper. Both of you will end up on the ground and clothing could get ripped...
Temporal blood vessels are above the heart, but they are pretty small and not prominent, which means making a small opening is hard. If anything goes wrong it will look like you smacked your poor supper upside the head with a brick. The blood will be the first thing anyone sees. Not a good choice.
If you go for the wrist you're going to end up making it look like they were self harming because you'll have had to do some gnawing just to get enough access to get a good suck going. The results will show. Way to get people asking gentle but penetrating questions about what somebody was doing last night. Also if you screw up and chew too hard, any spillage will run down the hand. That's going to keep running down after you are done, and if they raise their hand at all... Bright red bloody hands get noticed.
As for the legs and feet.... you'll have to put them down on the ground, possibly with their shoes and socks and trousers off... Even if you don't get seen sprawling there while you are drinking, and even if there is no blood leakage afterwards, they are going to stagger back into the house looking like they were rolling on the ground. One shoe missing, bloody footprints with every step, leaves in their hair and mud up their back... If you leave them that visibly drained, it's almost as bad as if you disemboweled them.
Sure, there are other places you can take blood from, other than the neck - but those other choices are not nearly as practical. Honestly, those other sites - it feels kind of fetish. You're not out to debauch them, just to get something to eat. What's wrong with the neck? Simple, traditional and dignified. You'll feel like a pervert if you get home and discover you still have one of their socks, or that you accidentally swiped their watch. Discretion is so important. The Carotid is how you do it if you want to be discreet.
posted by Jane the Brown at 10:24 PM on October 15, 2023 [19 favorites]
Obviously if you are interrupted when you use the Carotid, you can pretend you were leaning over to whisper to them. Now consider that if you use the femoral artery, any unexpected witness is going to presume you are doing something of an entirely different carnal nature. It will be painfully embarrassing all round.
Brachial arteries are better than the femorals, but at the same time you're going to basically have to pull their shirt off and stuff your nose into their armpit. Someone unexpectedly seeing you at it is going to stop short and stare, trying to figure out what in the world you are doing. If you are caught fang deep in the carotid they will likely assume you're just one of those romantic European kissers, and that you've been reading too many bodice rippers. Nothing romantic about feeding from a nest of armpit hair.
The other drawback of the Brachial artery is that you're in an awkward position if your meal turns out to be ticklish. It's easy enough to deal with flinches and flailing about when you're going for the neck. Not so much if your head is trapped under their turtleneck shirt. Trust me, you don't want to be semi-squatting and putting your head up their jumper. Both of you will end up on the ground and clothing could get ripped...
Temporal blood vessels are above the heart, but they are pretty small and not prominent, which means making a small opening is hard. If anything goes wrong it will look like you smacked your poor supper upside the head with a brick. The blood will be the first thing anyone sees. Not a good choice.
If you go for the wrist you're going to end up making it look like they were self harming because you'll have had to do some gnawing just to get enough access to get a good suck going. The results will show. Way to get people asking gentle but penetrating questions about what somebody was doing last night. Also if you screw up and chew too hard, any spillage will run down the hand. That's going to keep running down after you are done, and if they raise their hand at all... Bright red bloody hands get noticed.
As for the legs and feet.... you'll have to put them down on the ground, possibly with their shoes and socks and trousers off... Even if you don't get seen sprawling there while you are drinking, and even if there is no blood leakage afterwards, they are going to stagger back into the house looking like they were rolling on the ground. One shoe missing, bloody footprints with every step, leaves in their hair and mud up their back... If you leave them that visibly drained, it's almost as bad as if you disemboweled them.
Sure, there are other places you can take blood from, other than the neck - but those other choices are not nearly as practical. Honestly, those other sites - it feels kind of fetish. You're not out to debauch them, just to get something to eat. What's wrong with the neck? Simple, traditional and dignified. You'll feel like a pervert if you get home and discover you still have one of their socks, or that you accidentally swiped their watch. Discretion is so important. The Carotid is how you do it if you want to be discreet.
posted by Jane the Brown at 10:24 PM on October 15, 2023 [19 favorites]
> There was also a reference to blood from around the inner thigh in one vampire story reference, although someone else should be able to remember from
where that was.
You might be thinking of Octavia Butler's Fledgling. Though the vampires in that novel are rather not at the asexual end of the spectrum.
posted by ASF Tod und Schwerkraft at 11:10 PM on October 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
where that was.
You might be thinking of Octavia Butler's Fledgling. Though the vampires in that novel are rather not at the asexual end of the spectrum.
posted by ASF Tod und Schwerkraft at 11:10 PM on October 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
The wrist (or radial as others have said) is a common one; you see it a lot as an "offer" -- someone wants a vampire to feed on them, or a vampire is turning another vampire, they either just hold out their hand, or cause bleeding from their wrist and hold it out to the recipient. Interview with a Vampire, both TV and film, did this quite a bit if I remember correctly.
posted by AzraelBrown at 9:37 AM on October 16, 2023
posted by AzraelBrown at 9:37 AM on October 16, 2023
Response by poster: Damn, you people are good.
posted by queensissy at 9:55 AM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by queensissy at 9:55 AM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
Asking for a friend, I presume?
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 12:46 PM on October 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 12:46 PM on October 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
On Dark Shadows, vampire Barnabas Collins always bites women on the neck. But when he forces Willie Loomis to become his servant, we only see bite marks on Willie’s forearm (and never the actual act of biting him).
I assume this was to get past the 1960s ABC network censors, who wouldn’t even let the show use the word “vampire” for quite a while.
posted by elphaba at 6:39 AM on October 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
I assume this was to get past the 1960s ABC network censors, who wouldn’t even let the show use the word “vampire” for quite a while.
posted by elphaba at 6:39 AM on October 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Mod note: This very interesting post has been added to the Best Of blog, thanks for the question and great answers!
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 9:21 AM on October 21, 2023
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 9:21 AM on October 21, 2023
Ernest Jones, Freud's friend and biographer, wrote a little book called On The Nightmare which suggests that it's not exactly arteries the vampire is sneaking in at night to suck, nor is blood necessarily the fluid he is after. Naughty beasts.
posted by mittens at 9:22 AM on October 21, 2023
posted by mittens at 9:22 AM on October 21, 2023
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There was also a reference to blood from around the inner thigh in one vampire story reference, although someone else should be able to remember from
where that was.
posted by many-things at 6:08 PM on October 15, 2023 [4 favorites]