Pressure in the arterial system is ~ 120 mm/ Hg (2.5 psi) and a much greater pressure (1000 mm/ Hg is required to compress/ collapse the trachea).
Similarly, neck tourniquets have been suggested. Here, a fixed non-elastic neck band is tightened (eg. by twisting a spoon inserted into the noose). The goal is to tighten the noose just enough to restrict carotid flow. The use of a ratchet tie-down tourniquet has been described by Chris Docker in Five Last Acts.
The problem with these strategies, is that pressure is not being selectively applied to the baroreceptors, and the pressure application is invariably slow and less likely to trigger a reduction in cardiac output.
Nevertheless, with sufficient pressure, it is possible to restrict carotid blood flow enough to peacefully end one’s life this way.
To speed the method, while providing a better level of comfort, methods that specifically apply pressure to the baroreceptors have been developed. At the 2018 NuTech conference in Cape Town, Canadian activist, Ruth von Fuchs, presented her ‘Fatal Faint’ collar.
Ruth marks the location of the baroreceptors, then applies a velcro band around the neck with hard objects (she suggested two cut potato pieces!) positioned over the marked baroreceptor locations to apply the pressure and initiate the ‘fatal faint’ (Her NuTech video presentation is included in this Chapter.)
Canadian activist, Ruth von Fuch’s ‘Fatal Faint’ collar
