take a pulse of ~

人気観光地で起きた惨事は世界中に衝撃を与えています。take a pulse of ~は「〜の脈をはかる」という意味の表現です。日本語でも「脈をとる」などと言いますが，英語でもtakeを使うのですね。また，takeの代わりにfeelが用いられこともあります。（Koyamamoto）

Mass stabbing shocks tourist haven Guam
Destination popular with Japanese is site of deadly attack
The stabbing spree that claimed the lives of two Japanese tourists and left 11 other Japanese wounded in the Guam town of Tumon on Tuesday shocked the normally peaceful resort.
...“I took a pulse of an elderly injured woman, but she died. Another woman had two deep stab wounds,” one man who aided rescue workers at the scene told local media.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/02/13/national/mass-stabbing-shocks-tourist-haven-guam/#.URuI0Y7QVqM