Category: Anatomy Lessons

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Fun Fact: Anatomy of Ian’s Uniform!

Hallo, Outlander fans. Welcome to today’s Fun Fact: Anatomy of Ian’s Uniform! 

This Fun Fact is especially appropriate for Americans as May 16th is  also our national Armed Forces Day!  Pretty timely, no?

If you are like me, you are fascinated with Ian’s uniform in Outlander episode 512, Never My Love, the splendid finale of Season five! In Claire’s dissociative dreamscape, Ian arrives in full dress uniform for Thanksgiving dinner at the Fraser home! 🦃

I wanted to know more about Ian’s uniform, so I turned to Edward Maloney, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (retired) for assistance. Know that LTC Maloney is also a faithful, long-time fan of Outlander books and show and was more than willing to share his decades-long expertise in this matter.

Just so you know, Colonel Maloney’s former unit is the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army. Below is its beautiful and dramatic Distinctive Unit Insignia which reads “Rendezvous With Destiny!”

Addendum: I just learned “Hang Tough and Currahee!” is the Battle Cry of the 101st Airborne!  Hang tough means “in your parachute harness” and “Currahee” is from the Cherokee word meaning “We stand alone together.” (A good thought for soldiers trained to fight surrounded.)

Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel Maloney, for your service!

 

So, grab a cuppa (or your fav beverage) and let’s learn about the anatomy of Ian’s uniform, courtesy of LTC Maloney!

Ian’s uniform indicates he belongs with the Infantry, the oldest branch of the US Army. When was this branch formed? Turns out, very close to the date  depicted in the Outlander S5 finale! 

On 14 June 1775, the Continental Congress authorized ten companies of riflemen, the first infantrymen.  Nine years later, the First American Regiment was constituted on 3 June 1784 and it was the 3rd Infantry. Currently, well over two hundred years old, clearly the Infantry is a distinguished branch of the US Army!

So, follow the colored arrows in the below images to discern the anatomical features of Ian’s uniform. (psst…The following image appears twice so you don’t have to keep moving up and down to follow the arrows and explanations!)

Let’s get on with the dissection! 😉

Blue Arrow:  A branch insignia on Ian’s L lapel displays two gold crossed muskets, overlying a disk of Saxony Blue. This insignia is unique to infantry and no other branch of the US Army is allowed this distinction.

The crossed muskets are vintage 1795 Springfields, the first official US shoulder arm made in a government arsenal:

    • caliber .69
    • flint lock
    • smooth bore
    • muzzle loader

 

 

Yellow Arrow: Above his L breast, Ian wears a Combat Infantryman’s Badge, unique to those who have served in combat. It is a single flint lock musket on a blue background. 

Green Arrow: Just above Ian’s L breast is a line of Decoration & Award Ribbons, also known as “fruit salad” or “Travel Ribbons.” These are worn in lieu of larger full-size or miniature medals which are awarded for service.  Here, the Ribbon is a line of Ian’s Mohawk beads! 

Gold Arrow:  Over Ian’s L breast is The Maltese Cross with a Bull’s-eye surrounded by a wreath, known as the Expert Marksman Badge. This badge is unique to Army and Marine Corps, although the designs differ. The suspended bars underneath the badge are added for each weapon the soldier qualifies as an expert, such as pistol, rifle, etc. 

White Arrow:  Worn on Ian’s L sleeve, the chevrons signify a soldier’s rank. Two chevrons indicate Corporal, the lowest Noncommissioned Officer Rank (NCO) who leads an infantry fire team. 

Violet Arrow: Ian’s service cap bears the US Coat of Arms. It is backed on a brass disk and in the case of infantrymen, backed by a Saxony Blue disk. 

Khaki Arrow: Ian’s Regimental Coat of Arms is worn above his R breast.  This insignia will indicate his permanent regiment not necessarily the one to which he is currently assigned. 

Tan Arrow: Also worn above his R breast, this insignia indicates a Unit award such as Presidential Unit Citation, Distinguished Unit Citation, etc. 

Next image,  we see Ian’s left shoulder!

Aqua arrow:  Indicates the Distinctive Unit Insignia which is usually a variation of the regiment’s coats of arms but unique to each regiment. This one looks like the 2nd Infantry Regiment but the colors are altered. 

Red Arrow:  L shoulder – Shoulder Sleeve Insignia  indicates the current unit of assignment – Ian serves with a Native American unit, the Mohawk. this insignia was created by Outlander.

And finally, Ian’s infantry blue cord or fourragere (below) is a military decoration worn over the right shoulder of all infantry-qualified US Army soldiers. 

Ian’s fourragere from afar.

And, a closeup. This is Ian’s fourragere in light blue, (dubbed “Infantry Blue” by the US Army), worn under the right shoulder and under the right epaulette of a US Army infantry soldier’s dress uniform jacket.

The cord is composed of a series of alternating left and right half knots that are tied around a leader cord to form a “Solomon bar”.

Fitting that Ian should wear his dress uniform for Thanksgiving, even if that bird is just an illusion!

In summary, Ian’s uniform tells us he is:

    • Infantryman
    • Decorated soldier
    • Served in combat
    • Expert marksman
    • Corporal of an infantry fire team
    • Bears US Coat of Arms for infantrymen on his service cap
    • Wears his permanent regiment’s Coat of Arms
    • Decorated infantryman
    • Member of a distinct infantry unit
    • Member of Native American unit
    • Qualified infantryman

Whew! I don’t know about you, but I am thoroughly impressed with warrior Ian!

And, I am deeply grateful for the men and women who serve in the US Armed Forces.

I could not have done this fun Fact without the aid of LTC Edward Maloney, US Army. Thanks to his expertise for this brief lesson exploring the anatomy of Ian’s US Army insignia!

I hope all Outlander fans, worldwide, will express their gratitude for the warriors who daily protect them, their families, and their homelands. Please take a quiet moment to honor them!

Disclaimer:  If there are any glitches in the insignia descriptions or attributions in this Fun Fact, the fault is entirely my own for not expressing the information with precision.

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo and Video Credits: Sony/Starz; Lt. Col. Edward Maloney; www.wikipedia.com; www.amazon.com

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Fun Fact: Conjunctiva

Anatomy Def: Conjunctiva is a clear membrane covering part of the eyeball and lining inside of eyelids.

Outlander Def: Roger’s bloodied and abused tissues as he gazes at the world through his burlap hood!!! 😥

Learn about the conjunctiva in Anatomy Lesson #30, Aye, Eye – The Eyes, Part 2. 

Conjunctiva is a clear, thin mucous (adj.) membrane of the eye. It is a mucous membrane because, indeed, it contains glands and cells which secrete mucus (n.). This sets it apart from serous membranes that do not secrete mucus.

The conjunctiva has two parts:

    • Bulbar conjunctiva: Covers front part of sclera (“white” of the eye)
    • Palpebral conjunctiva:  Lines inner surfaces of eyelids 

Is the conjunctiva useful? Oh, indeed it is!  👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 It performs two important functions: 

      • Produces mucus and tears to help lubricate the surface of eye
      • Protect against microbes entering the eye which is vulnerable to the outer world

The conjunctiva contains many small blood vessels that are not especially noticeable unless stimulated to dilate. Dilation allows for increased tear and mucus release. What might cause such a response?

    • Allergens, such as pollen
    • Irritants, such as air pollution, makeup, cosmetics
    • infections
    • Contact lenses
    • Fatigue
    • Hypoxia (reduced oxygen supply)

But, Roger’s conjunctivae are bloody! Why??? This occurs because strangling increases pressure in the conjunctival blood vessels and they swell. The vessels then burst from straining for air and against the rope!

Slowly rewatch the color version of the hanging; you will see blood blooming during his conjunctival bleed. Or, more precisely, subconjunctival bleed, as blood collects between conjunctiva and sclera! 

The special effects are excellent, btw! In Rik’s recent Q and A, he explains he was fitted with special contact lenses and thought CGI was also added. I agree, as I see an increase in conjunctival blood during the footage.

Ergo: If Roger every gets his hands on William Buccleigh MacKenzie!!! 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

Fun Fact: Some people worry that a contact lens could wander towards the back of the eyeball and reach the brain. For several anatomical reasons, this doesn’t happen. One major reason is the conjunctiva folds on itself forming a closed pouch all the way around the eyeball. The figure explains 👇🏻.

The L panel shows the bulbar and palpebral conjunctiva from a frontal view.  Note: the bulbar conjunctiva stops at the edge (limbus) of the cornea. It does NOT cover the cornea!

The R panel shows a vertical section through the eyeball. The bulbar conjunctiva is shown as blue and the palpebral conjunctiva is red. A red arrow marks the pocket where the two layers meet. This blind pocket encircles the entire eyeball. Hence, a lost contact lens can only travel as far as the blind pocket. Want to know what to do about a “lost” contact lens? This is a pretty good website!

Try This: Gaze into a mirror.  Locate the clear membrane overlying your sclera. Can you see its tiny blood vessels? This is your bulbar conjunctiva. Gently pull down on the lower eyelid. See the glistening surface? This is your palpebral conjunctiva. Got it? Good job!

Herself explains Roger’s horrific ordeal in The Fiery Cross. Accurate details and explanations accompany her descriptions coupled with fantastic story-telling.  Read the books, folks! 🙏🏻

The others had strangled, slowly. The bodies were twisted, held by their bonds in the final postures of their struggle. One man—one body—was cut down as I rode up, and carried past me in the arms of his brother. There was not much to choose between their faces, each contorted, each darkened in its separate agony. They had used what rope was to hand; it was new, unstretched. Roger’s toes trailed in the dust; he had been taller than the rest. His hands had come free; he had managed to hook the fingers of one hand beneath the rope. The fingers were nearly black, all circulation cut off. I couldn’t look at his face at once. I looked at Brianna’s, instead; white and utterly still, each bone and tendon set like death.

See Roger’s bloody conjunctivae in Outlander, episode 508, Famous Last Words!  ❤️ Roger!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo credits: Sony/Starz; www.aafp.org

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Fun Fact: Leech

Anatomy Def: The leech is a segmented parasitic worm, closely related to the earthworm. Leech also means a doctor or healer. Who knew? 😜

Outlander Def: “Get-them-off!” William Ransom, eighth Earl of Ellesmere, demands Claire free his limbs of the ghastly creatures!

Learn about blood, the sumptuous repast of leeches, in Anatomy Lesson #37, “Outlander Owies Part 3 – Mars and Scars.”

Ahhhh, now you may think leeches boring, if so, I think you could be wrong. Here are fascinating fun facts about leeches:

      • More than 700 species
      • Soft, muscular bodies that lengthen and shorten during movement
      • Most have front and back suckers
      • Three sharp blades to cut flesh sit under front sucker
      • Saliva contains  hirudin, anticoagulant peptide (short amino acid chain)
      •  Used in bloodletting for at least 2,500 yrs
      • Hemaphrodite – each has one female organ and 9 pairs of testes. 😳
      • Appear in Proverbs 30:15 as an archetype of insatiable greed!

Bloodletting via leech is a time-honored practice dating to ancient Greece and India. Throughout Europe, the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, was used on ailing patients to rebalance body humors.

Yet more reasons this episode was titled “Blood of My Blood!!!” 😱

In 18th and 19th century Britain, leech-gatherers travelled the marshes gathering leeches from the wild. The practice became so widespread, the population was decimated in many areas. Bloody little buggers! 😈

In Old English, lǣce, was not only the name of the animal but also referred to a physician, and lǣcecraft or leechcraft described the art of healing. Hum….

Beginning in about 1980, leeches enjoyed a resurgence in modern medicine. Today, many hospitals stock them to treat:

      • Joint disease such as epicondylitis and osteoarthritis
      • Vein diseases of the extremities
      • Microsurgery
      • Blood-clotting disorders using hirudin

WARNING! If you sport a strong wame, watch this PBS video of how a leech attaches, how it feeds and its use in modern medicine. Watch at your own discretion.  There will be blood!!!  😷

Important! A leech can be removed by breaking the seal of front and back suckers with a fingernail or other flat, blunt object, flicking the leech away. Irritating the leech with a cigarette, vinegar, salt or soap may cause it to regurgitate stomach contents into the wound and transmit pathogens to its victim. Not common, but it has been reported. 

Read about leeches in The Drums of Autumn as Lord John Grey and his “son,” William Ransom, arrive unannounced at Fraser’s Ridge. Make no mistake, Claire recognizes Jamie’s get! 😉

Blundering out of the stream, I shoved my way through the tangled branches, and burst through into the clear space beyond. A boy was dancing on the bank above me, slapping madly at his legs and howling as he hopped and fro.

“What—?” I began, and he glanced up at me, blue eyes wide with startlement at my sudden appearance.

…“Leeches,” I said, professional calm descending by habit over personal tumult. It couldn’t be, I was telling myself, at the same time that I knew it damn well was. “It’s only leeches. They won’t hurt you.” 

“I know what they are!” he said. “Get them off me!” He swatted at his calf, shuddering with dislike. “They’re vile!” 

“Oh, not so terribly vile,” I said, beginning to get a grip on myself. “They have their uses.” 

“I don’t care what use they are!” he bellowed, stamping in frustration. “I hate them, get them off me!” 

“Well, stop whacking at them,” I said sharply. “Sit you down and I’ll take care of it.” 

He hesitated, glaring at me suspiciously, but reluctantly sat down on a rock, thrusting his leech-spattered legs out in front of him. 

“Get them off now!” he demanded.

See leeches feasting on Willie’s blood in Outlander episode 406, Blood of My Blood. 🚫 Leeches for this Lord!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo and Video Credits: Sony/Starz, PBS