The Human Body--Systems at Work: Circulatory System

If you could lay all the blood vessels in your body from end to end, how far do you think they would extend? A) To your neighbor's house? B) To the next town? C) Back and forth from Los Angeles to New York some 22 times? The answer, of course, is "C"--some 62,000 miles to be semi-precise (this program claims the total mileage is 93,000, but I was only able to confirm--in two separate places--62,000 miles). Using a newsmagazine format, this informative tape in the 6-volume The Human Body--Systems at Work series offers a consistently interesting and comprehensive overview of the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems, which--taken together--comprise the human circulatory system. Viewers will learn about the composition of blood (mainly consisting of plasma, the straw-colored "liquid" part of blood), the mechanics of our four-chambered hearts and extensive blood transportation system (arteries, veins, capillaries, etc.), the functions of red and white blood cells (as well as the anti-coagulant platelets), and the waste treatment/disease fighting functions of the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus and--for some of us--tonsils. The program concludes with general prevention tips on using exercise and diet to control cholesterol and blood pressure. Good animated models, interesting infonuggets (the next time a relative tells you that "blood is thicker than water," you can accurately respond, "five times thicker, actually, Aunt Martha"), helpful reviews following each segment, and a definite emphasis on education over entertainment make this a strong, solid choice for biology and health curriculums as well as general collections. The other titles in the series (series price: $499) are: Skeletal System: The Infrastructure, Digestive System: Your Personal Power Plant, Brain & Nervous System: Your Information Superhighway, Muscular System: The Inner Athlete and Respiratory System: Intake and Exhaust. Recommended. Aud: J, H, P. (R. Pitman)