Category: Fun Facts

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Fun Fact: Palpebra

Anatomy def: Palpebra is the scientific name for the eyelid.

Outlander def: Delicate flaps of skin droop over each orb as Claire’s gaze rests upon her beloved.

Learn about eyelids in Anatomy Lesson #29, The Eyes Have It! – Part One”

Fun Facts:

  • We reflexively blink our eyes about 15 times each minute.
  • Eyelid skin is the thinnest of the body second only to parts of the external genitalia.

Palpebrae (pl.) are upper and lower eyelids overlying each eyeball (oculus). Upper lid is largest of the two. We can voluntarily close upper and lower eyelids and voluntarily open the upper lid. Lower lid opens by gravity or by action of a wee muscle (inferior tarsal) which we cannot control, voluntarily.

Palpebrae perform many crucial functions for the oculus:

  • Reflexively close to protect cornea from debris, trauma or excessive light.
  • Eyelashes ward off dust particles and perspiration.
  • Spread tear film across ocular surface.
  • Tarsal glands produce meibum that retards evaporation of tear film.
  • Sebaceous glands produce sebum (oil) to waterproof and soften eyelid skin.
  • Sweat glands produce sweat to cool the eyelids and eliminate wastes.

Each palpebra contains a flexible connective tissue (tarsal) plate. Tarsal plates allow eyelids to cup the surface of each oculus.

Try this: Grip an upper palpebra between thumb and index fingers – gently squeeze and release. Repeat. Feel the rubbery superior tarsal plate pop between your fingers? Now repeat with the lower lid and note that the inferior tarsal plate is much smaller than the superior version.

Read about the Jamie’s eyelids as he contemplates the future site of Fraser’s Ridge in Drums of Autumn:

Jamie leaned his back against a sycamore, eyelids half lowered against the dazzle of afternoon sun. The little clearing held light like a cup, still and limpid.

“What d’ye think of this place, Sassenach?” he asked.

“I think it’s beautiful. Don’t you?”

See Claire’s upper eyelids lower as she sits near the future Fraser’s Ridge in Starz ep. 401, America the Beautiful.  This lass is verra content! <G>

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Fun Fact: Tragus

Anatomy def: Tragus is a small lump of cartilage on the external ear; it projects downward partially covering the opening of the ear canal. 

Outlander def: Ian’s tragus is definitely perked when he is captured during the night raid to save Roger-Dodger. He is mighty scart! 

Learn about the tragus in Anatomy Lesson #24, Hear, Here – The Ear.  

The outer ear, or auricle, is the visible, bendable flap situated at each side of the head. Like fingerprints or the venous pattern on the back of our hands, each auricle is unique.  Under its skin is a core of elastic cartilage. The anatomy is detailed, the tragus being one of several bumps, whorls or troughs acting to preferentially filter sounds in the frequency range of human speech.

The tragus projects downward over the opening of the external ear canal. Directly opposite the tragus is the antitragus which projects upward over the opening of the ear canal. Together, they help protect the entrance to the ear canal.

One may wonder why this bump was named tragus, a Greek word meaning “goat.” This references the tuft of hair resembling a goat’s beard that often adorns the tragi (pl.) of older men. Think Murtagh, not Ian! <G>

Try This: Place your L thumb in L ear canal, then pinch with L forefinger; this is your tragus. Now insert L index finger into same ear canal and pinch with thumb; this is your antitragus. Did you find both? Good job!

Fun Fact: Pinching the tragus, an action known as the fistula test, may induce vertigo or eye deviation in patients with the presence of an inner ear abnormality (fistula). If the pinch causes the response, the test is positive; if it doesn’t, the test is negative.

Read about ears in Drums of Autumn. Herself describes tidbits about Claire’s ears, Jamie’s ears, Haye’s ears, Byrnes ears, Ian’s ears and Rollo’s ears, and more, much more.  Best read the books! 

“Can ye speak Mohawk yourself, Mr. Myers?” 

Ian’s ears had been flapping all through the explanation. Fascinated by every rock, tree, and bird on our journey, Ian was still more fascinated by any mention of Indians. 

“Oh, a good bit.” Myers shrugged modestly. “Any trader picks up a few words here and there. Shoo, dawg.” 

Rollo, who had inched his nose within sniffing distance of Myers’s last trout, twitched his ears at the admonition but didn’t withdraw the nose.

See Ian’s tragus and its auricle turn bright pink in Starz, ep 413, A Man of Worth. Trapped like a rat! Ian doesna like gettin’ nabbed in the dark.  

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Fun Fact: Sternocleidomastoid Musculus

Anatomy def: Paired neck muscles, each connecting sternum and clavicle to mastoid process of same side. Abbreviated SCM, these muscles rotate and nod the head and flex the neck. 

Outlander def: Murtagh’s right SCM is taut (see #3 muscle movement below) as he implores Auntie Jo: “please, come back to bed.”  He nails Burt Reynold’s pose from 1972 Cosmopolitan centerfold. Alrighty, then!  

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

SCM is so named because it takes origin from sternum and clavicle and inserts into mastoid process, a rounded knob of bone behind the ear, hence the word root meaning “breast.”

SCM muscles are hard-working, resulting in many useful head and neck movements:

  1. Working alone, look over shoulder of same side
  2. Working together, equally, tilt chin toward chest 
  3. Working together, unequally, L SCM turns head to L as R SCM tilts ear to chest and visa versa

In anatomy, the SCM divides neck into anterior and posterior triangles where it serves as an important landmark in locating structures such as the common carotid artery and cervical (neck) lymph nodes. 

Try This: Locate your R mastoid process, the bony knob behind R ear. Look over L shoulder and tilt R ear towards sternum. Now, palpate the taut muscular ridge from sternum to back of R ear. This is the R SCM and your head mimics sexy Murtagh’s head position. Yay!

The muscle is also involved in SCM Syndrome, a constellation of symptoms including:  

  • decreased range of motion of the neck 
  • dull aches and pains in neck
  • sharp pains in neck
  • neck stiffness

Fortunately, it can be successfully treated with passive and active therapies.

Read about neck muscles in Drums of Autumn, wherein Herself describes Jamie’s therapeutic massage of Claire’s neck muscles: 

“Neither one at the moment,” Jamie replied, automatically gripping the back of my neck and massaging it with one hand. “He’s dead, aye?” 

“That’s wonderful,” I said, groaning with ecstasy as his thumb sank into a particularly tender spot. “What you’re doing, I mean, not that your uncle’s dead. Ooh, don’t stop. How did he get to North Carolina?”

Jamie snorted with amusement, and moved behind me so he could use both hands on my neck and shoulders.

I nestled my bottom against him and sighed in bliss. “You’re a verra noisy woman, Sassenach,” he said, leaning forward to whisper in my ear.

See Murtagh’s right SCM in Starz ep 413, A Man of Worth. Oh, aye, we ken it just fine! <G>

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist