Anatomy Lesson #38: “Outlander Tears” or “Why, oh Why, do We Cry?”

Greetings anatomy students! Flurry over the Outlander premier has abated and S.2 is well underway so it is time for another anatomy lesson. Yay! The bell has rung and class is in session! This anatomy lessons turns our attention to the poorly understood act of emotional crying.

As always, we’ll use Starz images to set the stage for our lesson. Beginning with S.2 opening theme, we are greeted with excellent images of emotional weeping. Claire’s tears flow as she desperately pleads with Jamie after his torture at the hands of the Bloody Blackguard (Starz episode 116, To Ransom a Man’s Soul)!

Claire cry 04

Her tears flow almost unabated through the first half of Starz episode 201, Through a Glass, Darkly. The episode begins with Claire separated from Jamie and her pain is palpable as she shrieks her rage to the heavens (Starz episode 201, Through a Glass, Darkly)!

Claire cry 02

Her fury is quickly followed with helpless tears of loss and grief as she collapses amid the towering stone monoliths capping Craigh na Dun!

Claire cry 03

Wandering the road to Inverness, Claire meets a kindly Scotsman. She collapses in desperate sobbing after he reveals, yes indeed, the British won the Battle of Culloden! We empaths shed tears along with our beautiful, courageous heroine!

Claire cry 01

This quote from Diana’s Dragonfly in Amber book adds depth to Claire’s desolation:

I woke three times in the dark predawn. First in sorrow, then in joy, and at the last, in solitude. The tears of a bone-deep loss woke me slowly, bathing my face like the comforting touch of a damp cloth in soothing hands. I turned my face to the wet pillow and sailed a salty river into the caverns of grief remembered, into the subterranean depths of sleep.

Claire cry 05

Time to start this tearfilled lesson (sob) with a brief anatomical overview. Unless one suffers from an unfortunate condition such as dry eyes (keratoconjunctivitis sicca), tears flow under three different conditions: base-line tear production, non-emotional tearing, and emotional weeping. Regardless of the cause, all three types involve lacrimation (Latin, lacrima, meaning tear), the production of tears. So, sharpen your scalpels and let’s dissect each type of tear, one-at-a-time.

Base-line Tears: We learned in Anatomy Lesson #30, “Aye, Eye – The Eyes, Part 2,” each eyeball is equipped with a lacrimal apparatus which produces and drains tears. That apparatus includes the following features.

In the upper outer corner of each bony orbit (Anatomy Lesson #30, “Aye, Eye – The Eyes, Part 2,”) lies the small but powerful lacrimal gland (Image A). Most of the gland lies inside the bony orbit but a small part projects into the upper eyelid. Small ducts (channels) pierce the conjunctiva (transparent membrane) and convey the secretion onto the eyeball surface.

The lacrimal gland is designed to continuously secrete (discharge) the aqueous (watery) part of the tear film which bathes the surfaces of cornea and conjunctiva (Anatomy Lesson #30, “Aye, Eye – The Eyes, Part 2,” and Anatomy Lesson #31, Aye for an Eye – The Eye, Part 3). Although their roles differ, fibers from both sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system (the part we don’t control) supply the gland (see Anatomy Lesson #32, “A Real Eye Opener – The Eye, Part 4). Working together, parasympathetic fibers induce secretion and sympathetic fibers control blood flow.

The tri-laminar tear film (Image A) is composed of an inner mucous (adj.) layer produced by mucous cells of the conjunctiva, a middle aqueous layer produced by the lacrimal gland, and an outer oil layer produced by tarsal glands of the eyelids (Anatomy Lesson #29, “The Eyes Have It! – The Eyes, Part 1”). The tear film represents basal tearing and it is critical to the health of exposed eye surfaces.

tear film KLS edited

Image A

The tear film is continuously renewed and then drained by the following structures. Closure of the eyelids moves the tear film toward two small openings, the lacrimal puncta (pl.), at the nasal end of each eyelid (Image B – lacrimal apparatus of right eye). Each punctum (find yours) drains into one of two lacrimal canaliculi, tiny channels which empty into a reservoir, the lacrimal sac. From the lacrimal sac, tears traverse the nasolacrimal duct and drain into the ipsilateral (same side) nasal cavity. Remember, each eye has its own lacrimal apparatus.

The tear film doesn’t just give Jamie his sparkling bonny blue orbs; rather, it serves three important purposes:

  • Protects and lubricates exposed surfaces of the eyeball.
  • Washes away foreign particles.
  • Reduces the risk of eye infections (antibacterial).

Lacrimal apparatus KLS edited

Image B

Non-Emotional Tearing: Also known as reflex tearing, non-emotional tear production is a response to eye irritants. If the exposed eyeball is insulted, the lacrimal glands are stimulated to produce a flood of tears which overwhelms the lacrimal drainage system. Having no adequate outlet, they escape the eyelids and run down the face.

What are the causes of non-emotional tearing? Well, foreign bodies, objects that enter the eye from outside the body, are the most common cause. Although intuitively obvious, here are some important clues that a foreign body may have taken up residence in your eyeball:

  • Pressure
  • Discomfort or pain
  • Sensation of something “in the eye”
  • Extreme tearing (yes!)
  • Photophobia (pain or discomfort with light exposure)
  • Excessive blinking
  • Redness or bloodshot conjunctiva (image C)

red eye KLS edited

Image C

And just so you know, the following foreign objects are the most common causes of non-emotional tearing:

  • eyelashes
  • dried mucus
  • sawdust
  • dirt
  • sand
  • cosmetics
  • contact lenses
  • metal particles
  • glass shards

Those who read Anatomy Lesson #29, “The Eyes Have It! – The Eyes, Part 1” may recall examples of the now-popular eyelash jewelry, including among other delights, crystals glued to the eyelashes! Who thought that was a good idea? Well, if one is not verra careful, these fake jewels can wreak havoc as foreign bodies! Case in point, crystals float on the tear film overlying conjunctiva and cornea (Image D). These were likely applied to the upper surface of the lower eyelashes. The glue failed and the crystalline escapees drifted onto the eyeball surface.

Understand that if the conjunctiva is intact, objects deposited on the front of the eyeball cannot get lost behind it (Anatomy Lesson #30, “Aye, Eye – The Eyes, Part 2). They can, however, scratch the cornea and cause infection so foreign bodies in the eye should be resolved STAT!

foreign body 02 KLS edited

Image D

Then, there are really dangerous foreign bodies such as metal shards (Image E) that pierce the transparent conjunctiva and embed in the sclera (Anatomy Lesson #32, “A Real Eye Opener – The Eye, Part 4). Such objects can scratch the inner eyelids and cause infections. Och, I bet that hurts!

Protective eyewear can help prevent such injuries and should certainly be worn if working with:

  • saws, hammers, grinders, lawn mowers, and other power tools
  • dangerous or toxic chemicals

Foreign body 03 KLS edited

Image E

Non-emotional tearing also follows exposure to irritating substances such as the whiff of onions (Image F) or noxious agents such as insecticides, perfumes, detergents, smoke, dust, etc.

Chopping onions KLS edited

Image F

Well then, fair’s fair (Image G)! Too gruesome? If yes, why are ye watching/reading Outlander? Hee, hee.

Chopping human KLS edited

Image G

Speaking of noxious substances, if an across-the-counter product splashes into the eye, you can immediately relieve discomfort and assist tear formation by washing the eyeball. Yes, you read it correctly! Every science laboratory worth its salt sports an eye wash station as part of its safety equipment. Since few homes have such an apparatus, you can use a sink faucet or garden hose. Run a stream of cool water (NOT hot!) from the tap or hose. Open the irritated eye and turn head so the affected eye is DOWN. Let the water run across the eyeball from the nose towards the ear (Image H). Do NOT run water from the ear towards nose! Why? Because the irritant will flow into the lacrimal drainage structures and nose. Voila, now the problem is compounded!

Flush the eye for 15 minutes! Yes your water bill will skyrocket, but the irritant must be thoroughly diluted. Depending on the substance (think acids, lye, etc.), hie to the nearest urgent care facility or call EMT/fire department. In the meantime, wash!

eye washing KLS edited

Image H

Finally, if something splashes into both eyes, use a garden hose or a faucet spray nozzle. Look down and widely opening both eyes, allow water to flush them simultaneously. Do not turn the head to either side.

The following is an informative and well-done Youtube video that includes images of how to deal with splashes involving both eyes. Note that although it starts with showing a one eye splash, later it demos both eyes involvement.

Emotional Tearing: Now, we get to the nitty-gritty! Also known as psychic tearing, this is the same as crying, the shedding of tears trigger by emotions. Crying synonyms include weeping, wailing, sobbing, whimpering, squalling, mewling, and bawling. Humans cry if we feel grief, stress, sadness, happy, overwhelmed, pleasure, anger, and suffering. But, the bottom line is, scientists understand very little about why emotions provoke human crying!

Again, Outlander S.2 comes to our rescue: Rage, grief, and despair fuel Claire’s tears in Starz episode 201, Through a Glass, DarklyBut, in the same episode, Frank shares with us fine examples of emotional tears!

Tears of gratitude – Claire has finally returned to him. He doesn’t care who she bedded during her Highland gad-about, nothing could ever change the way he feels about her! No way, Jose!

Frank tears 01

Tears of wonder – After Claire reveals that she has a “bun in the oven”, Jack, oops, I mean Frank, is thrilled and responds with more pop up tears. Oh, my, he is delighted,  desperately happy and “over the moon”! Ah, erm…wait! How could such a miracle happen because his doctor told him that …

Frank tears 02

Tears of fury – What? That red-haired bastard (weil, son of a bastard) knocked up his beloved Claire? Who the hey does that guy think he is? And, presto, just like that, Franks’s tears of joy turn into rivulets of rage! So much for his “nothing you could ever do” speech.

Recall not-her-name Sally and her alley cat friends (Starz episode 108, Both sides Now)? Frank came very close to sharing the same black-jack knuckle sandwich with Claire! Fist of fury!

In rapid succession, Frank delivers a wallop of emotion-ladened tears just in time for this lesson. TY, Frank. Much obliged!

Frank tears 03

Back to our lesson: many of us ken that newborns wail without tears. Their nascent lacrimal glands produce just enough baseline tears to moisten their eyeballs. Somewhere between 1-3 months the lacrimal glands develop enough to shed tear droplets in response to physical discomfort (Image I).

Around puberty, tears from emotional pain usually overtake those from physical discomfort. Gradually, with age and experience, people add moral crying in response to acts of courage and self-sacrifice or to symbols such as the flag of one’s country or to the sound of bagpipes (my personal favorite)!

emotional crying

Image I

Now, scientists do have insights about how tears and emotions are linked. Emotional crying is a complex secretomotor phenomenon characterized by the shedding of tears sans ocular irritation. The lacrimal gland is linked to the limbic system (Image J), part of the brain that processes emotions. The limbic system (waaaay too complex for this lesson) is hard-wired into the autonomic nervous system/ANS (the part you cannot voluntarily control). With the proper emotional trigger, the limbic system stimulates the ANS to release the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, a wee molecule which then stimulates the lacrimal gland to shed emotional tears. Ergo, emotions interpreted by the limbic system activate the ANS which releases acetylcholine which turns on the water taps! Voila, we sob with feeling! Pretty remarkable.

Limbic System KLS edited

Image J

What we don’t understand is why do strong emotions cause us to cry? What is the purpose of emotional tears? Well, there are lots of ideas, one dating back more than 2,000 years.

Greek philosopher and scientist, Aristotle, posited that tears are waste products like urine and therefore, discarded by the body (Image K): “That they are of one nature is plain to the taste.”

Take comfort, Jamie! Claire isna the only healer to taste urine (deferred to a future lesson). Truth be told, dedicated physicians used to routinely taste their patient’s urine. Talk about the call of duty. Pitooey!

Aristotle KLS edited

Image K

Here’s a good one…in the 1940s, American psychoanalyst and physician, Phyllis Greenacre, proposed that female weeping is a sign of penis envy and the way a woman can imitate a man urinating. A hypothesis to which I offer this scientific response: Snort!

Others have proposed that tears, like urine production, cleanse the blood. However, the average cry yields only about 20 tear droplets or the equivalent of 1 ml, a totally inadequate amount of fluid loss to alter blood composition.

Some suggest that crying purges the body of harmful chemicals produced under duress. Forty years ago, a biochemist found that emotional tears were richer in protein than non-emotional tears. Unfortunately, others failed to replicate his findings so they lost momentum. A basic tenet of scientific research is that independent laboratories must be able to replicate another’s results…. an excellent check and balance system.

However, later studies have shown that emotional tears contain elevated levels of prolactin (cuddle hormone), adrenocorticotropic hormone (induces adrenal cortex to release the stress hormone, cortisol), and leucine enkephalin (a natural painkiller). So, there may be merit to the idea of emotional purging. Verra complex, are our emotional tears!

Along a similar vein, Darwin proposed that in addition to lubricating the eyeballs, tears “serve as a relief to suffering,” and the idea that crying is cathartic remains viable but unproven. General wisdom suggests that emotional crying does make one feel better. But, why? Well, if misery is short lived, our mood may lighten by the time we finish a good cry. Or, in the midst of despair, something wonderful might happen to completely alter one’s mood such that eyes spout tears of joy!

Intriguingly, some researchers consider emotional crying as a social signal that a person needs nurturing; a sort of primal “shoutout” for help. One interesting study showed pictures of tearful faces to subjects. Within 50 milliseconds (.05 sec.) test subjects reported a boost in feelings of empathy and friendship towards people shown in such images. This very interesting hypothesis awaits further investigation.

Here’s some Outlander proof that social signals work: a mess of fans were ready, willing, and able to comfort that ginger-haired laddie as he wept at Wentworth Prison (Starz episode 115, Wentworth Prison)! Yep!

Jamie tears 02

Here’s another fascinating aspect of emotional tearing. Boys and girls cry with equal frequency until puberty when something complex happens. In Western cultures, boys are conditioned to restrain tears such that women cry twice (one study says 5x) as frequently as men. Biology may also play a role as male puberty is marked by increased testosterone production and some studies hint that this male hormone helps suppress emotional tearing.

Even more interesting, in some social settings such as sports, male displays of feeling such as hugging, cheering, and crying are OK; perhaps because people expect emotions to run high at sporting events. Consider Mario Balotelli, a world class footballer (soccer in US) for team Italy.  At the 2012 Euro final, Spain defeated Italy and Mario wept with deep regret (Image L). Apparently, this emotional display did nothing to hinder his career and may have helped it.

Finally, it seems that emotional crying in men can be downright desirable. Studies show that if powerful men display controlled weeping in response to sad or challenging situations, they are perceived as more competent than men who do not. Consider the lion-hearted WW II British PM, Winston Churchill, who has been dubbed the most tearful politician of all time!

mario balotelli tears KLS edited

Image L

Another consideration: scientists agree that animals shed tears to protect their eyes but also posit that humans are the only animals that cry based on feeling. Now, I ken that this supposition is bound to rouse some mighty powerful responses from readers who swear their pets display emotions (I’m pretty sure mine do)!

Charles Darwin wrote in The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals that keepers of Indian elephants at the London Zoo claim their charges shed tears of sorrow (Image M). And, social media is rife with anecdotal reports that, indeed, animals do demonstrate sadness.

However, science can barely evaluate human emotions much less interpret the emotional status of animals. Understand that this scientific position makes psychic weeping in animals neither true nor false, just not provable at this point in time.

elephant tears

Image M

As if this isn’t enough of teary stuff to contemplate, photographer Maurice Mikkers has recently photographed evaporated human tears and found that no two are alike in salt and mineral deposition (Image N)! ”Every tear is as unique as a snowflake,” writes Maurice. The significance of this fascinating finding awaits further studies.

Dried tears 02 KLS edited

Image N

So, one may safely surmise that the scientific jury is still out on why humans engage in emotional crying. Love it or despise it, crying appears to be a complex, multifactorial response which is crucial to our well-being! Emotional tears are potent symbols of who we are as individuals and as members of the collective whole (such as Outlander fans), celebrating our deepest connections to the world.

Sniff! Now that Outlander has returned to Starz, where is my box of tissues? Awaiting new episodes, but thus far, my favorite emotional tears are those shed by Jamie after Claire declares, “take me home to Lallybroch” (Starz episode 111, The Devil’s Mark). Wake up lad! She’s baaaaack!

Diana’s words from Outlander book!

He slept on his back, as he usually did, hands crossed on his stomach, mouth slightly open. The last rays of daylight from the window behind me limned his face like a metal mask; the silver tracks of dried tears glinted on golden skin, and the copper stubble of his beard gleamed dully…I kissed his cheek, damp and salty.

Jamie tears 01

I close this lesson with an amateur’s haiku poem in honor of Jamie’s emotional weeping:

Ode to Jamie’s Tear

Single tear slips free

Silent, salty and serene…

Pledge of endless love

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

Photo creds: Starz, Maurice Mikkers – photographer of human tears (Image N – 27 Feb. 2016, New Scientist), www.dailybhaskar.com (Image D), www.emedicine.medscape.com (Image E), www.en.wikipedia.org (lmage J), www.evolutionaryparenting.com (Image I), www.hubpages.com (Image C), www.huffingtonpost.com (Image M), www.huntingtoneyecare.com (Image A), www.pickchur.com (Image G), www.inthestands.co.uk (Image L), www.studyblue.com (Image B), www.thekoreanforeigner.blogspot.com (Image F), www.vikasacharya.wordpress.com (Image K), www.youtube.com (Image H)

Anatomy Lesson #37: Outlander Owies Part 3 – “Mars and Scars”

Hello, anatomy students! Today’s Anatomy Lesson #37 covers the ginormous topic of mars and scars, better known as wound healing. A mess of wounds and scars appear in the Outlander books and the Starz series so let’s learn from this perfect anatomical smorgasbord.

You will recall from Anatomy Lesson #35: Outlander Owies! Part One and Anatomy Lesson #36: Outlander Owies! – Part Deux! that pathology is the study of abnormal anatomy. Well, it turns out that wound healing also belongs in the realm of pathology. Our lesson will examine healing of closed and open wounds.

Surprise! Jamie is our model because he has more mars and scars than anyone else of Outlander fame! Let’s also enjoy a drinking game because Jamie’s wounds inspire one to drink more than any others, I ken! Down a wee dram each time you read “Och! Jamie’s puir…”

Drams in hand? Let’s begin…

Blood: Because blood is essential for healing and scar formation, it requires a brief brief mini-lesson of its own. Blood is a connective tissue (yes, it is!) composed of fluid plasma, in which two classes of blood cells are suspended: red blood cells (RBCs or erythrocytes) and white blood cells (WBCs or leukocytes). Blood also contains cell fragments known as platelets (thrombocytes) along with many other suspended or dissolved substances.

RBCs arise in bone marrow as nucleated cells but lose their nuclei just before entering the blood stream. Image A shows a 3-D SEM (Scanning Electron micrograph, Anatomy Lesson #34) image of a blood vessel containing blood cells. Understand that the colors in Image A were computer generated. RBCs are flat, biconcave discs (red in Image A), whose shape and lack of a nucleus allots them maximum oxygen-carrying capacity; think of them as tiny flat bags filled with hemoglobin (Hgb). As RBCs pass through lung capillaries, oxygen binds to Hgb molecules, turning RBCs bright red. As RBCs reach capillaries of other body regions, Hgb molecules release their oxygen burden into the tissues and the RBCs turn a dark, deep red color. Such color changes are important in wound formation and healing.

WBCs are the round, gray fluffy balls in Image A. They arise in bone marrow but retain their nuclei. There are five classes and several subclasses of WBC. All WBCs serve various defensive functions; more about these later in the lesson.

Platelets, which do not appear in Image A, play a crucial role in blood clotting.

SEM blood KLS edited

Image A

That was a “quickie” blood lesson. Now, on to healing processes!

The outline for today’s Lesson is:

  • Healing Closed Wounds
    • Trauma
    • Contusion Development
    • Contusion Resolution
  • Healing Open Wounds
    • Trauma
    • Hemostasis
    • Inflammation
    • Proliferation
    • Remodeling
    • Scars

Healing Closed Wounds: Closed wounds are injuries wherein the skin remans unbroken. The contusion will serve as today’s example of a closed wound, although simple bone fractures are another. Anatomy Lesson #35 explained that a contusion is the medical term for a bruise. Bruises form in subcutaneous tissues (Anatomy Lesson #5: “Claire’s Skin” – “Ivory, Opal and White Velvet.”) where they are often visible through the skin, but they can also form in deep organs such as muscle. Symptoms may include a bump, a hard knot and tenderness. And, bruises do not blanch under pressure. A number of steps occur to form and heal a bruise including:

  •  trauma
  • contusion development
  • contusion resolution

Let’s look at each of these steps.

Trauma: Contusions are caused by blunt force trauma wherein the skin is not broken. Claire’s foot presents an formidable blunt force directed at Jamie’s face (Starz episode 109, The Reckoning)! Weil, now, she did warn him not to belt her. This lass is not going down without a stramash!

ep 109 Claire kick

Contusion Development: Contusions pass through an impressive array of colors during development and healing. The first color is redness which occurs because blunt trauma bursts local capillaries allowing oxygen-ladened RBCs (bright red) to spill into nearby tissues. Although time has passed since Claire’s kick, the skin overlying Jamie’s right bony orbit (Anatomy Lesson #30: Aye, Eye – The Eyes Part 2!) shows the redness typical of a fresh contusion (Starz episode 110, By the Pricking of My Thumbs). Or, mayhap he is just blushing because the Duke of Sandringham has a certain fondness for his hindquarters? <G> Och! Jamie’s puir right eyelid! Have a wee dram.

ep 110 Jamie eye

Redness is followed by purple and blue discoloration as Hgb molecules inside the spilled RBCs release their oxygen; the RBCs turn dark red-purple as do the tissues they occupy. Next image is a good example of purple/blue discoloration (Starz episode 116, To Ransom a Man’s Soul). Och! Jamie’s puir left shoulder! (And, another dram). A quote from Outlander book reminds us of the vicious swipe that produced such discoloration!

The spot on his left side where the mallet had struck was an ugly contused swelling…I bit my lip, feeling gingerly down the swell of his biceps. He had one of the worst bruises I had ever seen; a huge mottled splotch of purple-blue—but I was fairly sure the arm wasn’t broken.

ep 116 Jamie bruise

Next, a contusion exhibits the classic black and blue discoloration as spilled RBCs rupture and release their iron-containing Hgb into the soft tissues of the injured area. Och! Jamie’s puir left fingers; they argued with that damnable mallet and lost (Starz episode 116, To Ransom a Man’s soul)! Quick! Take another sip!

ep 116 Jamie hand 01

Contusion Resolution: Yay! It rhymes! Now, the contusion begins to heal assuming first, green and then, yellow hues. These color changes occur because cells known as macrophages (Greek makros meaning large + phagein meaning to eat) devour freed Hgb, Macrophages break the Hgb into the green compound, biliverdin, (Latin meaning green) which turns the tissues an icky green color. This is followed by yellow hues as the biliverdin is metabolized into the golden chemical, bilirubin. As macrophages clear the last of the debris from the bleed, the yellow fades and if the contusion isn’t too profound, normal coloration and function are restored.

Ergo, changes oin Hgb molecules form the basis for color changes of a healing contusion. A single bruise can simultaneously display all of the above colors because the amount of spilled blood varies in different areas and the stages of healing overlap. Here is a gut-wrenching example (Starz episode 106, The Garrison Commander)! Och! Jamie’s puir back! (Another swallow!) Gah! Skin near the lash marks is red, purple, blue, black, green, and yellow! Herself writes in Outlander book:

Dougal grimaced. “A pitiful sight, it was, too—still raw, no more than half-healed, wi’ the weals turned black and the rest yellow wi’ bruises. The thought of a whip comin’ down on that soreness was enough to make me blench, along wi’ most of those watching.”

Now that we understand the healing of a closed wound, let’s consider open wounds.

ep 106 Jamie wounds 01

Open Wound Healing: Open wounds entail skin breaks; abrasions, lacerations, and incisions (Anatomy Lesson #35) are good examples of open wounds. Such injuries undergo a cascade of events during wound healing.

Trauma: First, open wound healing requires trauma; finding good examples of open wounds in Outlander is a no-brainer – as they are pretty much everywhere! This is a fine one: Starz episode 110, By the Pricking of My Thumbs, shows the type of trauma-drama awaiting highlanders that mess with Jamie! The MacDonald lads hurl nasty insults and then attack Jamie. Thalla gu h-Iort – “to St Kilda with ye!” bellows Jamie. With a quick dirk-jerk, Jamie gifts one lad with an incision of his right hamstring tendons! Young MacDonald came to harm, E-I-E-I-Oooooh; that stings!

ep 110 MacDonald cut

Open wound healing: Following trauma, the body immediately springs into action and initiates the following four steps of open wound healing (Image B):

  • Hemostasis
  • Inflammation
  • Proliferation
  • Remodeling

Wake up, students! Let’s examine each of these four steps.

Основные RGB

Image B

Hemostasis: A fancy word for blood clot, hemostatsis comes from the Latin for blood + Greek for stop. Hemostasis is typically the first step in open wound healing. If trauma ruptures blood vessels, they bleed (duh!) and then undergo spasm to reduce bleeding. Next, platelets stick to the injured site forming a temporary platelet plug, followed by a complex, ten-step!!! cascade of events leading to blood clot formation. If all steps work normally, a clot stoppers each damaged blood vessel to halt blood loss. The dusky red plug of Jamie’s gunshot wound is a massive blood clot formed by the process of hemostasis (Starz episode 101, Sassenach). Och! Jamie’s puir right trapezius muscle! Slàinte!

And, just to keep us honest and abreast of Outlander time line, a common 17-century word for blood clot is grume!

ep 101 Gunshot wound

A blood clot with its seeping fluids usually hardens into a scab, the body’s version of a Band-Aid! This firm shell protects the wound from infection and desiccation (drying). Tissues under a scab are repairing so best to leave it alone. If you pull it off, the healing process will be prolonged. Jamie kens better than to tear that scab off his gunshot wound! Nurse Claire will skelp his arse if she catches him doing that (Starz episode 103, The Way Out) From Outlander book:

“That’s good,” I said, clearing my throat of some obstruction that seemed to have lodged there. “It is healing well; it’s scabbed over nicely, and there’s no drainage at all. Just keep it clean, and don’t use the arm more than you must for another two or three days.” I patted the undamaged shoulder, signifying dismissal.

ep 103 Jamie scab

Inflammation: Hemostasis is quickly followed by acute inflammation, a rapid but brief response that is not the same as infection, although both may occur simultaneously. Just so you know, the body also experiences chronic inflammation (e.g. RA), a prolonged response that lies beyond today’s lesson content. So, let’s investigate acute inflammation.

About 2,000 years ago, the Roman, Celsus, described four signs of acute inflammation (rubor, tumor, calor, dolor). The fifth sign (functio laesa), was described centuries later by Rudolf Virchow, father of modern pathology. The signs, in Latin followed by their English equivalents, are:

  • Rubor (redness)
  • Tumor (swelling)
  • Calor (heat)
  • Dolor (pain)
  • Functio laesa (loss of function)

Acute inflammation is the topic of a terse tête-à-tête between Mrs. Fitz and newly arrived Claire (Starz episode 102, Castle Leoch). Claire declares she doesn’t want Jamie’s gunshot wound to become infected. Oops, she means inflamed! Why did Claire change her words? Because, she kens that the terms infected/infection, meaning invasion by micro-organisms, will not be accepted for another 140 years or so! Herself enlightens us from Outlander book:

“But he’s hurt. He was shot yesterday and stabbed last night. I bandaged the wound for riding, but I didn’t have time to clean or dress it properly. I must care for it now, before it gets infected.” “Infected?” “Yes, that is, I mean, inflamed, you know, with pus and swelling and fever.” “Oh, aye, I know what ye mean. But do ye mean to say as ye know what to do for that? Are ye a charmer then? A Beaton?” “Something like that.”

Hee, hee – more like a WW II combat nurse. If only Mrs. F. knew!

ep 102 Fitz

The five signs of acute inflammation are caused by dramatic changes in small blood vessels, WBC distribution, and chemical mediators. These changes are very complex so suffice it to say that intact blood vessels near the injury become leaky such that plasma and some types of WBCs pour into the injured tissues. The increased blood flow causes redness. Leaked plasma causes swelling. Freed WBCs release chemical mediators that initiate a host of tissue changes including more redness, swelling, pain, and heat. These responses are designed to eliminate the cause of cell injury, to remove damaged cells, and to initiate tissue repair. Because the injured area hurts, it is hard to use, so it undergoes loss of function. Got it? Grand!

Back to the present (or past): here’s a great example of an injury that leads to acute inflammation. Just before Jamie’s dirk-jerk, he is stabbed by one the MacDonald lads during the big Mac-Attack (Starz episode 110, By the Pricking of My Thumbs). Och! Jamie’s puir left side! Time for another swallow!

image

 

Turning to Claire for a wee bit of TLC (she isna very accommodating) and suturing…well, at least he gets stitched <G>, we see signs of acute inflammation in Jamie’s wound (Starz episode 110, By the Pricking of My Thumbs)? See the redness? See the puffy, swollen wound margins? It hurts even before not-a-closed-mouth-woman, Claire, jabs him with her needle! And, the wound will feel warm to the touch. Och, Jamie’s puir inflamed incision wound! Getting dizzy yet?

Four of the five cardinal signs of acute inflammation accounted for! Where’s the fifth?

ep 110 stitching 01

Here’s the fifth sign of acute inflammation: Jamie grips his newly-stitched left side to protect and support it as Colum gives the Highlanders Holy Hell (Starz episode 110, By the Pricking of My Thumbs)! This is loss of function: the wound hurts too much to use and the pain is intended to stop the victim from using the wounded area while it heals. Och! Jamie’s puir left side! Another gulp! All five signs of acute inflammation present and accounted for! Now back to the steps of wound healing.

ep 110 Jamie disfunction 01

Proliferation: So, the wound has bled and is inflamed, what’s next? The wounded tissues undergo proliferation, a complex process (yes, another one) involving three parts: angiogenesis, fibroplasia, and re-epithelialization (Image C). Whew – more terms! What do these words mean?

Angiogenesis means that new blood vessels grow into the wounded site to supply the healing tissues with oxygen and nutrients and remove waste products (red arcs and loops in Image C).

Fibroplasia means that fibroblasts (connective tissue cells) make gobs of new collagen and other structural proteins to fill the gap left by an open wound. Although laid down in a haphazard fashion, the new collagen fibers provide a structural framework for the repairing tissues (represented by ellipsoid cells and brown and yellow stacks in Image C).

Re-epithelialization means that new epidermis (Anatomy Lesson #5: Claire’s Skin – Ivory, Opal and White Velvet and Anatomy Lesson #6: Claire’s Hair – Jamies Mane or Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ!) regrows to cover the gap caused by the wound (green bricks in Image C). This fascinating step requires old epidermal cells to divide and new epidermal cells to crawl over and cover the breach (blue bumps in Image C). Then, fibroblasts (acting like muscle cells), grip the wound edges and contract, pulling the rim inward and puckering it (not shown in Image C).

If the wound is minor, the three steps of proliferation occur rapidly and the wound closes with little trace. If the wound is deep and/or wide, then proliferation results in a scar (see below).

proliferation

Image C

Remodeling: Finally, we arrive at remodeling, the fourth step of wound healing! Here, the randomly-arranged proliferated collagen is replaced with new collagen fibers that add strength by orienting along stress lines. Near the end of remodeling, scars contract and become smaller and paler. Image D shows that remodeling takes between 21 days for a minor wound and up to 2+ years for significant injuries! NOTE: This graph skips bleeding as the first step in open wound healing.

phases of wound healingImage D

Necrosis:  Before we move to scars, please know this…..If some process interferes with establishment or maintenance  of normal blood flow following open wound injury, then injured tissues may undergo cell death, a process known as necrosis.

Scars or Cicatrix: We’ll end this lesson with a discussion about scars, the remnant of a healed wound. The Latin (medical) term for a scar is cicatrix or cicatrice, and has been around since the 17th century.  Scars (pl.) are known as cicatrices. With the exception of minor injuries, all wounds (e.g. accident, disease, surgery) result in some degree of scarring. We are familiar with scars of the skin but did you know that our internal organs also scar and the nature of such scars is often organ-specific (e.g. fibrosis of liver).

Let’s address some common wound and scar questions.

Why are wounds stitched? Nowadays, wounds are stitched, stapled, glued, and taped. These processes align and hold together the edges of a wound to minimize bleeding, exclude infectious organisms, and reduce scar size. First recorded in 3,000 B.C., suturing is the oldest of these procedures. Approximating the edges of a wound by any the above methods permits healing by first intention.

Claire’s careful needlework on Jamie’s smashed fingers approximates his lacerated skin and restores it’s continuity, thus promoting healing by first intention and minimizing scar formation (Starz episode 116, To Ransom A Man’s Soul). She also uses interrupted stitches so if one knot releases, the entire line of stitching does not unravel. Och! Jamie’s puir left fingers! Gulp! Gasp!

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Claire stitches Jamie up so many times, she might have welcomed help from this amazing little fellow!

What is the red, grainy “stuff” that fills gaping wounds? If the edges of a wound remain agape or the epidermis is gone (think floor burn), then the gap fills with granulation tissue; this red, grainy “stuff” is a combination of new blood vessels and new collagen. Known as healing by second intention, this type of healing is slower than healing by first intention and usually forms larger scars (Image E).

Granulation tissueImage E

Have you heard the term, “proud flesh” (caro luxurians)? Noooo, I dinna mean the Kardashians, snort! Proud flesh is an oldish term for excess granulation tissue. Image F shows proud flesh, an overgrowth of granulation tissue that developed from a small finger cut. Such overgrowths are atypical but the image is useful because it clearly shows the red blood vessels and grainy appearance of granulation tissue.

proud flesh

Image F

What is a scar? Scar tissue is remodeled collagen fibers that aligned in one direction for added strength. Unfortunately, scar tissue is not as functional as the tissue it replaces. For example, scar tissue of skin lacks hair follicles and sweat glands (Anatomy Lesson #6: Claire’s Hair – Jamies Mane or Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ!) and is less pliable than normal skin. Scars of heart muscle lead to loss of muscular power during cardiac contractions. Scars of liver are due to death of liver cells and formation of excess collagen – less tissue to preform the ten life-giving functions carried out by the liver. Then, there’s amazing bone that often heals without any structural or functional loss.

Why do scars turn white? Scars usually turn white within a year or two after injury. They do so after collagen remodeling and scar contraction is complete and the need for increased blood flow has diminished.

Why do some scars remain red or purple for a long time? Scars remain red or purple as long as WBCs of the area produce chemical messengers to promote increased blood flow. Thus, it may be months or even years before redness completely fades. A good example is the persistent redness of Jamie’s gunshot scar which is apparent months after the event. Oh, no! More sass from Claire who gives him a thorough Sassynach scolding for being a lousy laird (Starz episode 112, Lallybroch). Have ye ever seen a sweeter, more innocent face? Ha, ha! He enjoys a good tongue lashing now and then (hee hee!).

ep 112 Jamie scar 01

Here is a great … ah, erm, … I forgot what I was writing about! Gah! Oh, I remember! The scar from the sword swipe is white at the millpond even though Jamie’s earlier gunshot scar is red in the same episode (Starz episode 112, Lallybroch). Ahem, students!! The red arrow helps focus your attention on the white scar! Now this can occur because tissues in different regions of the skin may heal at different rates. More likely, it is because that bloody freezing burn contracted Jamie’s skin capillaries: reduced blood flow = paler skin! Och, Jamie’s puir left side! Are we woozy yet?

ep-112-Jamie-scar-02

Why are Jamie’s lash scars so prominent? Back skin is thick and when lacerate, it should be sutured or stapled; unfortunately, neither of these procedures were available to Himself at the time of injury. His deep, wide lash wounds filled with granulation tissue and healed by second intention so the resultant scars are wider and more significant. BTW, his lash scars are also shiny and raised, features of hypertrophic scars, an abnormal healing process due to overproduction of collagen. His lash scars were probably designed for dramatic effect, as Jamie’s skin is an unlikely candidate for hypertrophic scarring. Och! Jamie’s puir back! Glass refill STAT!

ep 116 Jamie back

Jamie appears over and over in this lesson because the lad has suffered more than his fair share of mars and scars. Who is to blame for most of these owies? Why, that dark, dastardly devil, BJR, of course. Claire is constantly cleaning up that SOB’s messes! Sadist that he is, Jack-Jerk finds his handwork compelling and erotic (Starz episode 116, To Ransom a Man’s Soul)! Writer Ira Steve Behr explains:

To me, the line that was truest to Black Jack’s character was when he ripped open Jamie’s shirt and said with wonder, “How does it feel to be alive and wear so much dead flesh?”

I go on record as stating, au contraire, repugnant, reptilian Randall! Scars are NOT dead flesh, they are living tissue, the end game of the body’s ability to heal wounds. Scars are molded by our own private first responders; tiny “robots” that dart into action on our behalves. Let us be grateful that our bodies possess such marvelous repair mechanisms!

ep 115 Jamie's dead flesh

Shakespeare once wrote, “There’s nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so” (Hamlet; Act two, Scene two, p. 11). Apparently Will never met BJR – as some handiwork is just plain E-V-I-L!

If you have yet to witness this riveting compilation of Black Jack’s dark and dirty deeds, watch this admirable video – created by Julia LaBlanc and posted by E. Jamie via YouTube. Just keep in mind it grimly showcases the depths of BJR’s depravity.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6GRAsvTFH4s

Closing with my own wee Ode to BJR:

BJ is a fiendish auld cur; a fiendish auld cur is he,

He called for his whip and he called for his brand,

To abuse our darling Jamie!

(Git yer foul tongue off him!)

Hope you are still standing after all those drams! As for me: Hic! Thud!

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

Photo creds: Starz, www.bioloby-igcse.weebly.com (Image A – SEM of blood cells), www.medscape.org (Image C – proliferation), www.surpassinc.com (Image B – four steps of wound healing), www.en.wikipedia.org (Image F – proud flesh), www.woundeducators.com (Image D – phases of wound healing), www.wisegeek.com (Image E – granulation tissue)

Anatomy Lesson #36: Outlander Owies – Part Deux!

Greetings Outlander anatomy students! Our last Anatomy Lesson #35 covered wounds and injuries featured in both Outlander book and the Starz series. Today’s Anatomy Lesson #36 continues with this theme because there are still lots of Outlander owies to uncover and discover!

WARNING: A Spoiler from Outer Space appears at the end of this lesson in the form of an image, a question, and a wound description from 20th Century FOX’s “The Martian.” The image of a scaredy cat appears just before the Space Spoiler. If you haven’t seen the film, you may want to skip it. You may wonder why this movie appears in this lesso … why to apply what we learned from the lessons on wounds and injuries!

During the last lesson we learned that the science of pathology is the study of abnormal anatomy and that it provides a sane classification of wounds and injuries. Anatomy Lesson #35 covered types of mechanical trauma so today’s lesson will pick up where we left off. We will study all but the last seven items on the following list:

  • Mechanical Trauma (nine types covered in Anatomy Lesson #35)
  • Thermal Injuries
    • Thermal burns (excessive heat)
    • Hyperthermia (heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke)
    • Chilblains
    • Hypothermia
    • Frostbite
    • Electrical injury
  • Alcohol
  • Pressure Injuries (blast injuries, decompression sickness, high altitude illness)
  • Tobacco
  • Genetic Derangements (genome defects)
  • Poisons
  • Toxins
  • Venom
  • Air pollution (indoor and outdoor)
  • Occupational hazards (industry, farming, mining, etc.)
  • Radiation injury
  • Oxygen deprivation (hypoxia and ischemia)
  • Infectious Agents (viruses, rickettsiae, bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc.)
  • Immunological (autoimmune) Diseases
  • Nutritional Diseases (malnutrition, obesity, excess vitamins and minerals)

Once again, examples from Diana’s books and the Starz Outlander series will serve as our anatomical models for the above injuries.

Wounds and injuries are serious topics, so let’s lighten this lesson with a wee bit of humor. Anatomy Lesson #35 featured a laceration inflicted by a boar’s tusk. The lesson stated that boars can run up to 40 k/hr! Don’t know if the following baboon taxi cab qualifies as a true boar but it is likely close. Watch this with sound. I dare you not to laugh!

https://www.instagram.com/p/5wwgkECXpq/

First up are a mess of Thermal Injuries, including thermal burns, hyperthermia, chilblains, hypothermia, frostbite, and electrical injury. Thermal injuries are the result of excesses in temperature: too much heat or to much cold.

As an aside, electrical injuries do fall into this category. Electricity may pass through the body without effect, it may produce cardiac arrest, or tissues may be burned. But, no electrical burns in the 18th century for us to consider.

Thermal Burns: Heat, electricity, chemicals, or radiation exposure cause thermal burns. Typically, these are classified as first, second or third degree types and occasionally we hear of fourth degree burns, but did you know there are also fifth and sixth degrees?

Some of you will recall Anatomy Lesson #5 and Anatomy Lesson #6 where we learned that skin is composed of epidermis, the surface layer of skin cells, and dermis, the underlying and supporting connective tissue layer. Another useful way of considering thermal burns is to describe their depth relative to epidermis and dermis.

Partial-thickness Burn: This type of burn damages either the epidermis or both epidermis and outer dermis and includes first and second degree burns. Such burns are red and often blister. The skin tends to blanch under pressure and the burns are very painful. Most partial-thickness burns heal without scarring because hair follicles are spared and each surviving follicle includes a sleeve of epidermis (Anatomy Lesson #6); the sleeves regenerate to help cover the damaged surface. However, if a partial-thickness burn is deep and/or large, then optimal healing may require a skin graft. Infections also complicate the healing of a partial-thickness burn and increase the likelihood of scarring.

So, consider the next Outlander image. Here, gracious Nurse Claire gently applies a healing balm to Mrs. Fitz’s right forearm (Starz episode 110, By the Pricking of My Thumbs) which received a partial-thickness burn courtesy of the “puir ovens” at Castle Leoch. Red and painful (she flinches at Claire’s touch) this burn should heal without scarring as long as infection is kept at bay.

ep-110-Fitz-burn

Full-thickness Burns: Full-thickness burns differ from partial thickness in that they extend through the epidermis, the entire dermis and into underlying tissues. Hair follicles are destroyed so they cannot contribute to epidermal regeneration. The skin of such burns is stiff and leathery and may be charred; the color may be pink, white or brown. Such wounds do not blanch under pressure. They are typically aesthetic (painless) because the skin nerve endings are destroyed although the rim of such a burn is painful where nerve endings often survived. Full-thickness burns include third, fourth, fifth and sixth degree burns which extend into underlying fat, muscle, ligaments and even bone. Fourth degree burns may require amputation. Fifth and Sixth degree burns are usually fatal. Horrific injuries!

We witness a full-thickness, third degree burn (Starz episode 116, To Ransom a Man’s Soul) as the masterful monstrous madman demands a traumatized Jamie brand himself with BJR’s wax seal – JR indeed! This despicable act produces a brown, dry and leathery full-thickness burn of Jamie’s left side but not over his heart as Jack-Rat demands.

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Excision is the only way to deal with this injury and Murty is our man! With a dirk quick-flick, Murtagh extracts the branded skin. Jamie belongs to Claire! ‘Nuf said.

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Grand, garrulous Godfather then casts JR into the fiery pit where he belongs! Tweet: #JRburnsinhell! Couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy. Buh-Bye BJR!

ep-116-JR-burn-02

Thermal Cold Injuries: Cold temperatures cause thermal injury because the human body is poorly equipped to regulate and prevent heat loss; this is especially true of children and the elderly. Normally, fat deposits and heart, blood vessels, brain, skin, and muscles help combat cold effects either by insulation or by initiating responses such as shivering, redirecting blood flow from surface to vital organs, and reducing energy consumption. But exposure to cold temperatures over long periods overcomes our coping mechanisms and produces a range of thermal cold injuries such as chilblains, trench foot, hypothermia and frostbite.

Chilblains: Also known as pernio, chilblains is a 16th century term for painful, red and itchy swelling of the skin as the result of repeated expose to cold but not freezing air (Image A). Ouch, that looks sore! Digits are most commonly affected because blood circulation to the limbs is typically reduced during cold exposure.

Chilblains usually clear up with warmer weather and resolve without permanent damage unless infection occurs. Severity can be lessened or eliminated by wearing warm clothing over exposed skin, limiting exposure to cold, and applying lotions to ease the affected parts.

Episodes from season one of Starz Outlander do not feature chilblains. But have no fear, our amazingly witty and resourceful Diana writes about them in her second book, Dragonfly in Amber, wherein Claire treats some imprisoned men. She’s a wonder! Which “she” do I mean? Take your pick. Hah!

I talked my way into the cells of the prison, and spent some time in treating the prisoners’ ailments, ranging from scurvy and the more generalized malnutrition common in winter, to chafing sores, chilblains, arthritis, and a variety of respiratory ailments.

chilblains

Image A

Hypothermia: Hypothermia is a systemic condition brought on by a decrease in core body temperature (<98.6° F or 37° C) as a result of extended cold exposure. Symptoms of hypothermia include a drop in core temperature, vigorous shivering, confusion, sleepiness, slurred speech, shallow breathing, weak pulse, low blood pressure, changes in behavior and slow reactions. The victim exhibits the “umbles” meaning grumbles, mumbles, stumbles and fumbles because cold affects muscle and nerve function. If the core temperature drops to 90º F (32.2º C), then bradycardia (slow heart rate) and atrial fibrillation (fast and irregular contraction of the heart’s upper two chambers) may ensue. During the process, the entire body responds by increased heat production due to hormone release, re-routing blood to core organs, and shivering. Unfortunately, these responses expend considerable energy and cannot be sustained for long.

Hypothermia may well be a factor in Starz episode 110, By the Pricking of My Thumbs, as Claire is moved to save a sick infant after being abandoned by its parents. Here from Outlander book:

She hastily snatched the baby from my arms, then laid it back where I had found it, in a small depression in the rock…“But it’s sick!” I protested, stooping toward the child again. “Who would leave a sick child up here by itself?” The baby was plainly very ill… I wondered that it had had the strength to cry… “It’s only a sick child. It might very well not survive a night in the open!”

Alas, a small infant has little body fat to help insulate it against cold temperatures. And, an ill infant will not have the strength to initiate the other protective mechanisms mentioned above. Poor little one; Claire’s loving heart broke when her healing powers couldn’t affect the outcome of this sad event.

ep-110-changling

Frostbite: Frostbite is a type of cold injury in which the body’s shell is exposed to freezing temperatures; it affects mostly feet, hands, noses and ears. Superficial frostbite begins with the sensation of extreme coldness, followed by numbness. Ice crystals form in the tissues and fluid leaks from blood vessels forming clear, fluid-filled blisters. More severe frostbite is marked by blisters that accrue a purplish fluid and, later, blood begins to clot.

Do we see examples frostbite in Outlander? Maybe so, maybe no. The first season brought us snowcapped Munros (Starz episode 105, Rent) and a skirmish in the snow between Murtagh and Jamie as they rescue wee Willie from Rupert.com (Starz episode 109, The Reckoning).

Speaking of snowcapped peaks, the nearest evidence of Outlander frostbite arrives in the form of goose bumps (snort) on a pair of bodacious tatas. Now, goose flesh doesn’t really qualify as frostbite, but its the best I can do for it, ye ken? Arrector pili muscles (Anatomy Lesson #6) pucker the skin by uprighting the hairs on Mistress Laoghaire MacKenzie’s chest! Almost but not quite shivering, the teenage bad-lass devises a meet-and-greet at Jamie’s secret place wearing little else than a daring corset (where the heck did she get that?)! Best get that cloak back on lest ye suffer thermal burns from a willow switch wielded by grandma Fitz! Mayhap your da should have had his way about that hiding in the hall? Burrr!

Here’s some exciting thermal news: an arm of the US Department of Energy is developing clothes with thermal properties that adapt to the environment and to the wearer’s body. By changing their make-up or shuttling heat to and from the body, the garments can keep people comfortable whatever the external temperature (30 January 2016, New Scientist). I’m ready for one of these jackets, how about you?

ep-109-Loaghaire-cold

Alcohol Injury: Alcohol is a colorless, volatile, and flammable liquid that is the intoxicating element of wine, beer, and other spirits (duh!); it is also used as a fuel and is an industrial solvent! Not surprisingly, alcohol is also the most widely used and abused toxic agent in the world. Not meaning to preach as I have a wee nip here and there too, alcohol injury ranges from binge drinking to full on alcoholism with a myriad of accompanying ailments.

Claire offers a very succinct analysis of alcohol here, in a quote from “The Drums of Autumn:”

“Alcohol isn’t a good anesthetic at all,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s a poison. It depresses the central nervous system. Put the shock of operating on top of alcohol intoxication, and it could kill him, easily.”

And, there we have it in a nutshell. What a woman!

alcohol

Here’s how the body handles alcohol: the stomach lining contains gastric alcohol dehydrogenase (GAD), an enzyme that metabolizes alcohol. The liver is also equipped with alcohol dehydrogenase plus other enzymes that help augment alcohol break down. But, bad news for the lassies: women naturally have lower levels of GAD than men and often develop higher blood alcohol levels after drinking the same quantity of alcohol.

Alcohol consumption is a complex subject but for our purposes, there are three types to consider: alcohol dependence syndrome, acute alcohol intoxication, and alcohol intoxication.

Alcohol dependence syndrome (alcoholism) is a condition characterized by long-term alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse that result in specific physiological and behavioral problems. The entity includes ten or so different signs and symptoms, but from a medical standpoint, only two are required for diagnosis. Colum, who requires major quantities of strong drink to quell his physical pain, is an excellent Outlander example. For more info, enter “alcoholism” into your search engine and pursue.

Acute alcohol intoxication (ACI) occurs when a person drinks too much, too quickly resulting in dangerously high concentrations of alcohol in the blood stream. Depressed respiratory rate, altered gag reflex, stupor, and coma are characteristics. ACI is considered a medical emergency because it can lead to coma and death. Guidelines exist about the amount of alcohol the liver can metabolize per hour and these rates should not be exceeded. Again, please get informed if this is an issue in your life.

Now, Jamie isn’t in the throes of ACI at Lallybroch (Starz episode 112, Lallybroch). Naw, he is just stinking drunk (see next category).  This is just a chance to show him wearing that grand leather coat that belonged to his da’!

ep-112-jamie-drunk

Alcohol intoxication (drunkeness) include symptoms of impaired physical and social behaviors such as reduced social inhibitions, euphoria, and loss of balance. Now, feisty Angus is very good example of alcohol intoxication, although he is probably one of those hearty Scottish souls who has developed a tolerance to its effects. Emboldened by Claire’s “Spanish port” and valerian root mixer, he is having a grand old time at the Gathering (Starz episode 104, The Gathering).

Herself describes the general mood at the Gathering in Outlander book:

There’s not a man in the place who’s not half in his cups already, and they’ll be far gone in an hour…The men in the Hall were rioting, dancing, and drinking, with no thought of restraint or control.

A final note about alcohol: Last month, chief medical officers of the UK issued new guidelines suggesting that there is no safe limit to alcohol consumption and advising that no one exceed 14 units of alcohol per week (16 January 2016, New Scientist). One unit of alcohol is equivalent to a standard glass of wine (175 ml or 6 oz). I must confess that 14 glasses of wine per week seems more than generous to me!

angus-drunk

Pressure Injuries: Pressure injuries include blast injuries, decompression sickness, and high altitude illness. I’ll bet that you all don’t think there are any pressures injures in Season one of Outlander, but, there are!

Blast injuries: This type of pressure injury is caused by explosions resulting in multi-system, life-threatening injuries. These are divided into four categories:

  • Primary (PBI): Tissue and organ injury caused solely by over pressure from a blast.
  • Secondary (SBI): Flying objects that strike people as a result of a blast.
  • Tertiary (TBI): High-energy explosions causing folks to become airborne and strike other objects.
  • Quaternary (QBI): All other injuries caused by explosions.

I spy a SBI (Ha! that rhymes.) in Starz episode 109, The Reckoning, Jamie’s band of merry men creates a blast that engulfs redcoats at Fort William (Angus says it was Murty who set the charge). Plainly, these soldiers suffer SBIs because they are stuck by flying, fiery debris. Hope this makes sense.

ep-109-blast-03

Pressure waves from the blast also effect Jamie and Claire (Starz episode 109, The Reckoning). But, on a parapet and away from the blast, they experience a PBI. Here, the sound track briefly reflects a dulled sound and slight ringing tone. This clever device conveys to the viewer that the blast temporarily effected their tympanic membranes and inner ears (Anatomy Lesson #24)!

ep-109-blast-02

Decompression Sickness (DCS): This injury occurs when individuals are exposed to high air pressures and then depressurize too rapidly. Deep-sea divers or underwater workers who spend long periods in pressurized tunnels or caissons (large, water tight containers) are at risk. Flying in unpressurized aircraft and space walks may also cause DCS. Type I or simple DCS involves skin (Anatomy Lesson #5 & Anatomy Lesson #6), musculoskeletal, and lymphatic systems. Type II or serious DCS extends to lungs, brain and spinal cord (Anatomy Lesson #10). DCS can be avoided by following a slow decompression process.

Here’s how DCS works: Under high pressure, inert gases (nitrogen and others) dissolve in the blood. As a person returns to normal pressure, the inert gases come out of solution in the lungs via a process known as “outgassing.” If depressurization occurs too quickly, then the dissolved gases come out of solution too quickly and bubbles form in the blood or in the solid tissues of the body with the following results:

Starz Season One of Outlander doesn’t really show examples of DCS. The closest we can come to this type of pressure issue is rapid pressurization. Recall Jamie’s and Claire’s “leap of faith” into the icy waters surrounding Fort William (Starz episode 109, The Reckoning)? There they go! Wheeeee!

ep-109-leap-01

Down, down, down they go; where they stop nobody knows. Truthfully, they couldn’t sink deep enough or stay under water long enough to worry about DCS. Just messing with you!

ep-109-leap-02

Genetic Derangements: This category embraces a broad range of diseases based on gene defects. Several organizations devoted to genetic support and research posit that more than 6,000 genetic disorders can be passed down through the generations. Many of these are either fatal or severely debilitating.

Once again, Outlander book comes to our rescue wherein Claire encounters a genetic disease of the 18th century (Starz episode 102,  Castle Leoch)!

“At the moment, though, my discomfort arose from the fact that the beautifully modeled head and long torso ended in shockingly bowed and stumpy legs. The man who should have topped six feet came barely to my shoulder. ….. ‘I welcome ye, mistress,’ he said, with a slight bow. ‘My name is Colum ban Campbell MacKenzie, laird of this castle.’ ”

Later, Claire diagnoses Colum as suffering from Toulouse-Lautrec syndrome, a genetic disease of bone, cartilage and other connective tissues (Anatomy Lesson #27). Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a famous 19th century painter, printmaker, illustrator and draughtsman. He was the child of an aristocratic French family whose parents were first cousins. By 14, Henri had fractured both femurs and his legs ceased to grow such that as an adult, he stood 4’ 8” (1.42 m).

In 1962, a pair of French physicians described the genetic disease, pycnodysostosis (Greek meaning dense, defective condition of bone) or Toulouse-Lautrec syndrome. A child with this disease receives a recessive gene from each parent, an outcome more likely if parents are closely related. However, positive diagnosis requires genetic testing. Because genetic testing was unknown during Henri’s lifetime, it is surmised that he suffered from pycnodysostosis.

Impossible as it seems, pycnodysostosis/Toulouse-Lautrec sufferers fail to make a single enzyme (Cathepsin K – Anatomy Lesson #27), but one that is essential for bone repair and remodeling. Life long accumulations of bone injuries that cannot heal properly cause the signs and symptoms of this sad disease. Puir Colum. Little wonder he has an affinity for the rhenish!

Epigenetics: Now for something truly fascinating! For decades scientists have thought that our cells faithfully follow the genetic road map which is set at conception (12 Dec. 2016, New Scientist). However, there is growing evidence that external or environmental factors may switch genes on and off or affect how cells read genes so they may not be bound to exactly follow the DNA road map. This controversial field is epigenetics. A recent Danish study showed a link between men’s weight and gene activity of his sperm which could leave his offspring predisposed to obesity (12 Dec. 2016, New Scientist). In another study, South American guinea pigs were able to tweaked their genes to beat increased environmental heat (9 Jan. 2016, New Scientist).

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Poisons: Poisons are substances that, when absorbed, inhaled or consumed, cause illness or death of living organisms. Paracelsus (1493–1541), the father of toxicology, once wrote: “Everything is poison, there is poison in everything. Only the dose makes a thing not a poison.” Paracelsus was pretty much right as a great many substances do harm in the right amounts. Even pure water can potentially harm us if imbibed in sufficient quantity.

Manufactured Poisons include many improperly used household agents and meds: cleaning agents, laundry products, pain meds, vitamins, antihistamines, pesticides, antimicrobials, sedatives, anti-depressives, cosmetics, cardiovascular drugs, etc. There are also a variety of natural poisons that nature gifts us!

Geillis Duncan kent a thing or two about poisons, enough to gradually do in her hubby, Arthur Duncan, procurator fiscal for Cranesmuir parish. Herself enlightens us in Outlander book:

“Cyanide?” He looked down curiously at me. “What’s that?” “The thing that killed Arthur Duncan. It’s a bloody fast, powerful poison. Fairly common in my time, but not here.” I licked my lips meditatively.

“I tasted it on his lips, and just that tiny bit was enough to make my whole face go numb. It acts almost instantly, as you saw… I imagine she made it from crushed peach pits or cherry stones, though it must have been the devil of a job.”

Cyanide prevents cells from using oxygen. If this happens, cells die. If inhaled, cyanide causes seizures, apnea (temporary cessation of breathing), cardiac arrest and death.

Puir Arthur, Geillis says he isn’t much to look at, but still, he had a good house and a good position; what else could a wife want? How about Jamie? Harhar! Arthur probably thought of exotic Geillis as his trophy wife!

This quote from Outlander book explains the ghastly symptoms of cyanide poisoning:

… I could see the rotund form of Arthur Duncan on the floor, limbs flailing convulsively, batting away the helpful hands of would-be assistants… The stricken man dug his heels into the floor and arched his back, making gargling, choking noises. … His jaws were clamped and rigid, though, lips blue and flecked with a foamy spittle that didn’t seem consistent with choking… The eyes were rolled back now, and the drumming heels began to slacken their beat. The hands, clawed in agony, suddenly flung wide… The sputtering noises abruptly ceased, and the stout body went limp, lying inert as a sack of barley on the stone floor.

BTW, Claire (Diana) is right! The pits of apricots, peaches, cherries and plums along with the seeds of apples contain small amounts of cyanide. So, to be on the safe side, it is best not to eat broken pits or chew apple seeds. I’m thinking about Jamie’s habit of thriftily consuming apple cores. No worries though, not enough in a core to do him any real harm.

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Toxins: Toxins are compounds that cause disease and are produced by fungi, plants or animals. These include mycotoxins (produced by fungi), phytotoxins (produced by plants) and animal toxins (produced by animals – again duh!). Understand that dose is important; a small amount of a toxin may produce reversible injury, whereas larger doses of the same toxin might result in ether instantaneous death or slow irreversible injury leading in time to death.

Do we see any natural toxins at work in Outlander episodes? Aye, indeed we do! Remember that cutie nephew of Mrs. Fitz? Yep, talking about Tammas Baxter! He is ill unto death when Claire reaches his bedside (Starz episode 103, The Way Out). She hypothesizes that he was poisoned after eating the berries of Convallaria majalis or lily-of-the-valley. Weel, dinna fault him, the plant looks a lot like wood garlic!

Lilly-of-the-valley is a woodland flowering plant that is native to the Northern Hemisphere and all parts of the plant contain poisonous phytotoxins. Ingested even in small quantities, Convallaria induces abdominal pain, vomiting, reduced heart rate, blurred vision, drowsiness and red skin rashes.

Nurse Claire to the rescue! She carefully administers a decoction of bella donna (Italian for beautiful lady). Prepared from the leaves and roots of the deadly nightshade plant, the decoction contains natural atropine which, interestingly enough, is also a phytotoxin. Claire uses bella donna to counter the effects of Lilly-of-the-valley, as a muscle relaxant, to dilate the pupils (Anatomy Lesson #31), to correct an irregular heart beat and to counter other actions on the autonomic nervous system (read about the ANS in Anatomy Lesson #31). In case you were wondering, a decoction is the liquor obtained from crushing, boiling and/or concentrating the substances of a plant. Halleluah! Tammas is saved!

ep-103-Tammas-poisoning

Venom: Venom is a form of toxin made by animals. Unlike poisons which are inhaled, consumed or absorbed, venom is injected into victims via bites, stings or other sharp body features (e.g. spines). So, insects (wasps, bees), spiders, scorpions, sea urchins, fish, snakes, and a couple of mammals produce venom although the method of injection varies widely. Outlander season one didn’t have any venom injuries but Jamie succinctly and accurately compares venom and poison in Diana’s fourth book, Drums of Autumn:

“Venemous,” Jamie corrected him. “If it bites you and makes ye sick, it’s venemous; if you bite it and it makes ye sick, it’s poisonous.”

No venomous creatures in Starz Outlander series, yet! But next is a venom issue from my own archives. The non-venomous king snake and the venomous coral snake are both endowed with red, black and yellow bands (North America only). Hum, then, how can you tell one from the other? Helpful ditties exist to determine whether such snakes are friend or foe. This is important should you encounter a coral snake because it chews its venom into the victim and that venom is a powerful neurotoxin that paralyzes the intercostal muscles (Anatomy Lesson #15) which are necessary for breathing!

One ditty goes “Red and yellow, kill a fellow; red and black venom lack” or “Red and yellow, kill a fellow; red and black friend of Jack.” Huh? Black Jack has no friends! Well, maybe a snake or two… “birds of a feather” and all that! The ditties mean that if red and yellow bands touch, then it is a coral snake (keep back!) but if red and black bands touch, then it is a king snake (safe).

So, is image B that of a coral or a king snake? You got it right, it is a (Texas) coral snake! Now, do you see a slight break in the black banding pattern (at the tip of the red arrow)? That is where I killed it with a shovel. OK, OK, before you get mad at me, I am usually benevolent towards “all creatures great and small.” I don’t like killing things, but this snake was in my back yard crawling through the flower beds around the foundation of my house and they can be territorial!

Just so you are all aware, coral snakes from the Old World have variable banding colors so the above ditties are not reliable for coral snakes outside North America.

coral-snake

Image B

Whew! The list of injuries and wounds for today’s lesson is done. However, as promised…

SPOILER ALERT: All Scaredy Cats should stop reading now as The Martian pop quiz is next! Now, in case you wonder what The Martian has to do with Outlander, it gives us the opportunity to apply the lessons we have learned from Diana’s books and Starz series to other settings. After all, if you can’t use the anatomy, why bother to learn it? Aye?

scaredy-cat

We haven’t had a pop quiz in a very long time, so grab a pencil and paper, it’s Quiz time! Turning from Outlander to Outer Space, let’s consider the film “The Martian”, another fabulous nail-biter from film director, Ridley Scott. Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, suffers a traumatic wound during a horrific Mars storm. Harkening back to Anatomy Lesson #35, what type of wound did he suffer? The correct answer is (hint: there may be more than one possible answer):

  1. Contusion
  2. Abrasion
  3. Incision
  4. Laceration
  5. Projectile

Martian-wound

If you chose D. Laceration, a gold star for you!

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If you chose E. Projectile a gold star for you!

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But, if you chose both D. Projectile and E. Laceration, then two gold stars for you!

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Here’s why both answers are best: During the brutal storm, Mark is struck by an airborne antenna dish and swept away. Receiving electronic data that he is dead, fellow crew members are forced to flee the planet, post haste. After Mark regains consciousness, he finds himself alone with a thin metal shaft embedded in his anterior abdominal wall (Anatomy Lesson #16). This is Answer D, the projectile.

Does Mark immediately panic and pull out the projectile? No, he does not because Mark is a scientist who clearly read Anatomy Lesson #35 (haha!) and knows that a projectile should not be removed in the field! He makes his way into the Mars habitat and finds its medical station and supplies. There he assesses the damage and removes the projectile himself as no medical team is hanging around. The metal projectile leaves a ripped and torn wound through the abdominal wall; this is Answer E, the laceration. The tip of the projectile has broken off in the wound, so Mark anesthetizes the flesh around the wound and with surgical instruments and a mirror, removes the embedded tip and closes the wound with staples. Luckily for Mark, there was no bowel perforation or things would have gone south very rapidly. Way to go Mark! Good lad!

How did you score? Hope you did very well on the quiz!

Our next lesson will be on wound healing and scars!

A deeply grateful

Outlander Anatomist

Photo creds: Starz, Kumar, Abbas and Fausto, 7th ed., Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of disease, Elsevier and Saunders, Outlander Anatomy archives (Image B), The Martian – the official trailer (HD) – 20th Century FOX (Image D), www.memecrunch.com (Image C), www.en.wikipedia (Image A)