Fun Fact: pectoralis major

pectoralis-major

Anatomy def: Pectoralis majors (pec majors) are thick, paired, fan-shaped muscles, covering the front of the chest wall. Together they make up the bulk of the male chest and lie deep to the breasts in the female.

Outlander def: Paired chest muscles that Claire looooves to palpate! She is, after all, a health care professional and it is her medical duty to carefully evaluate Jamie’s chest anatomy (clearly, barfing on that ship had nay ill effect on his pec major muscles)! <G>

Learn about Jamie’s chest in Anatomy Lesson #4: “Jamie’s Chest” or “The 8th Wonder of the World!”

Read about Jamie’s chest in Dragonfly in Amber book:

I fought back the memory of our wedding night. He was a virgin; his hands had trembled when he touched me. I had been afraid too—with better reason. And then in the dawn he had held me, naked back against bare chest, his thighs warm and strong behind my own, murmuring into the clouds of my hair, “Dinna be afraid. There’s the two of us now.”

See the contours of Jamie’s pectoralis major muscles in Starz episode 201, Through a Glass, Darkly.

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

Fun Fact: corrugator supercilii

corrugator-supercilii

Anatomy def: Paired corrugator supercilii muscles draw the eyebrows downward and inward, producing vertical wrinkles between the brows. Also known as the worrying muscles!

Outlander def: Muscles that wrinkle Clair’s brow in worry whenever her lovable laddie leaves!

Come back to her, James Fraser, ASAP!

Learn about the corrugator supercilii muscles in Anatomy Lesson #11: “Jamie’s Face” or “Ye do it Face to Face?”

Read about Claire and Jamie worrying for each other in Outlander book:

“I’d be sorry to leave ye, Sassenach, but it might be best.” “Don’t mind for me,” I said. I hadn’t realized before that his departure would necessarily leave me alone at the Castle, and the thought made me more than slightly nervous.

See both Claire and Jamie looking worried as they contract their corrugator supercilii muscles in Starz episode 110, By the Pricking of My Thumbs! Hear Dougal tell Jamie: “I said to kiss her; dinna swallow her!” Har har, that Dougal is a canny, clever clansman!

a deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

P.S. Thanks to Ed for the idea!

Fun Fact: sternocleidomastoid

sternocleidomastoid-

From Greek sterno meaning sternum + Greek kleis meaning clavicle + Greek mastoeides meaning breast (due to shape of the mastoid process)

Anatomy definition: Paired neck muscles, each connecting sternum, clavicle and mastoid process (of temporal bone). Acting together they nod and rotate the head.

Outlander definition: two elegant neck muscles, all the better for Jamie to nibble!

Learn about the sternocleidomastoid muscle in Anatomy Lesson #12, “Claire’s Neck” or “The Ivory Tower.”

Read about Jamie biting Claire’s neck in Outlander book:

“If you’ll not let me be spiritual about it, you’ll have to put up wi’ my baser nature. I’m going to be a beast.” He bit my neck. “Do ye want me to be a horse, a bear, or a dog?”

See Claire’s sternocleidomastoid muscle in Starz episode 109, The Reckoning!

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist