Note f — BOOK VI.
Reading edition
Arteria Carotis Aliquanto posterius in homine quàm in alio quovis animali, Calvariam ingreditur, scil. juxta illud foramen, per quod sinus lateralis in Venam jugularem desiturus cranio elabitur; nam in cæteris hæc arteria sub extremitate, seu processu acuto ossis petrosi, inter cranium emergit: verùm in capite humano, eadem, ambage longiori circumducta (ut sanguinis torrens, priusquam ad cerebri oram appellit, fracto impetu, leniùs & placidiùs fluat) prope specum ab ingressu sinûs lateralis factum, Calvariæ basin attingit;——& in majorem cautelam, tunicâ insuper ascititiâ crassiore investitur. And so he goes on to shew the Conveniency of this Guard the Artery hath, and its Passage to the Brain, and then saith, Si hujusmodi conformationis ratio inquiritur, facilè occurrit, in capite humano, ubi generosi affectus & magni animorum impetus ac ardores excitantur, sanguinis in Cerebri oras appulsum debere esse liberum & expeditum, &c. Atque hoc quidem respectu differt Homo à plerisque Brutis, quibus, Arteria in mille surculos divisa, ne sanguinem pleniore alveo, aut citatiore, quàm par est, cursu, ad cerebrum evehat, Plexus Retiformes constituit, quibus nempe efficitur, ut sanguis tardo admodum, lenique & æquabili fere stillicidio, in cerebrum illabatur. And then he goes on to give a farther Account of this Artery, and the Rete mirabile in divers Creatures. Willis, ibid. cap. 8.