Tag: diana gabaldon

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Fun Fact: Depressor Labii Inferioris

Anatomy Def: Depressor labii inferioris are paired muscles which together pull down (depress) the lower lip.

Outlander Def: Roger’s “oh shite – what do I do now?” muscles (red arrow)!

Learn about depressor labii inferioris (DLI) in Anatomy Lesson #11, “Jamie’s Face or Ye Do it Face-to-face?,” a lesson I wrote way back in 2015. Warning, it is a long one!

Roger has a pair of the most prominent DLI I have ever seen! His are contracted at this moment in the Brownsville standoff, drawing his lower lip down and producing two very prominent ridges of his chin-skin. The red arrow marks his right DLI but the left ridge is also visible. Can you see both?

Try this: Stand before a mirror and strongly depress the lower lip. See if you can produce similar ridges in your chin skin.

Anatomists classify DLI as muscles of facial expression. Most humans have about 20 pair of such muscles. If you ever ponder how it is we have such mobile faces, it is due to a total of 40 or so muscles moving the facial skin to achieve our amazing range of facial expression. Fear, anger, distrust, frustration, joy, etc., are all non-verbal forms of communication produced by this group of muscles.

DLI are relatively small, thin and flat. Like all muscles of facial expression, structure can vary from person to person. These are also innervated by the same pair of nerves which is why serious injury to one of these nerves causes paralysis of the same side of the face.

Read about lips in Diana’s fifth big book, The Fiery Cross; they are referenced many times in this tome. This excerpt is from the Brownsville standoff:

“What did he say?” Mrs. Brown whispered to her sister-in-law. The older lady shook her head, lips drawn in like a pursestring. “Mr. Morton is alive and well,”

Roger translated for them. He coughed. “Fortunately for you,” he said to the male Browns, with as much menace as he could contrive to put into his voice.

See Capitaine Roger MacKenzie’s DLI muscles in action in Outlander episode 504, The Company We Keep! Splendid episode! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo credit: Sony/Starz

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Fun Fact: Mold or Mould?

 

Anatomy Def: Mould/mold is a superficial, hairy growth produced by some fungal species; discoloration and woolly surfaces are common features.

Outlander Def: The icky layer of fuzz on Claire’s handmade bread which she hopes will yield penicillin! 🤞🏻

Learn about penicillin mold in Anatomy Lesson #57, Needles, Nerves and Penicillin.

Question #1: So, which is it, mold or mould? Ha, ha! Well, that depends on where you live. The entire English-speaking world, excepting the U.S., spells it, mould. Being somewhat contrarian, the US is the only English-speaking country that spells it, mold! 😉

Question #2: What is mold/mould? Molds are a large and diverse group of fungi (Pssst….. fungus is singular spelling, fungi is plural).

Question #3: What are fungi? In the past, fungi were classified as plants, but science marches on and fungi are now assigned to their own kingdom, placed on an even keel with plants, animals and two or three other kingdoms of life!

Mold Anatomy: Do molds exhibit anatomical features? Indeed they do! Molds grow by producing a network of transparent, branching tubules known as hyphae which lend molds their typical woolly-appearance. Molds also may have a dusty surface due to the production of spores at the tips of hyphae.

Claire kens that examination of spores and hyphae may help identify the type of mold she seeks; hence, experiments, microscope and Apprentice Marsali!

She seeks to grow a Penicillium strain that will provide a crude antibiotic. Claire, and now Marsali, will search for hyphae that look like wee paintbrushes in the microscope👇🏻! The small round globs are spores.

Let’s wish them the best of luck, although I do fash over Fergus’ recent paper grab; possibly a page of Claire’s lab notes?  😱

Spores act like seeds, a clever strategy to start new colonies. Mold spores released from parent hyphae are widely dispersed by:

    • air currents (can be airborne for long periods and distances)
    • fur
    • feather
    • clothing, etc.

If spores land on organic material (e.g. chunks of homemade bread!) along with moisture, dim light, and warmth, they undergo cell division to produce the fuzzy molds our Sassenach seeks!

Fun Fact: Few molds will grow below 39 °F  (4 °C) which is why refrigerators recommend settings around 38 °F.  But, some hearty molds can survive Antarctica, acids, anti-bacterial soap, and jet fuel! 😳

Molds are a nuisance when they spoil food and damage property. They may also be pathogens causing allergies, invading tissues (e.g. lungs), or generating harmful toxins. On the other hand, molds are extremely useful in producing various foods and beverages, and by providing enzymes, pharmaceuticals, and antibiotics!

Read about Claire’s mold experiments in The Fiery Cross:

I twiddled the quill, rolling it between thumb and forefinger. I had kept a faithful account of my experiments with penicillin—the growing of cultures on media ranging from bread to chewed pawpaw and rotted melon rind, painstaking descriptions of the microscopic and gross identification of the Penicillium molds, the effects of—to this point—very limited applications.

Read the books, folks, wherein Diana faithfully details the mold experiments! 🙏🏻

See Claire’s bread mould/mold in Outlander episode 502, Between Two Fires. Yuck! 😝

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo Credits: Sony/Starz, www.botit.botany.wisc.edu

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Fun Fact: Supercilium

Anatomy Def: Supercilium: An eyebrow, the arch of hair above each eye.

Outlander Def: Murtaugh’s Bodacious Brows! Supersilly, huh? 😜

Learn about supercilium in Anatomy Lesson #29, The Eyes Have It! 

The eyebrow or supercilium (pl. supercilia), is a linear growth of coarse hair above the eyelashes. Generally, eyebrows mimic the shape of brow ridges of the underlying (frontal) bone.

Try this: Prove it for yourself. Slowly run your fingers over the ridge of bone above each eye socket. Likely, most of your eyebrow tracks along this bony landmark. Sometimes, the eyebrow tail will deviate (up or down) as the brow ridge disappears.

Like hair of scalp, eyelashes, beard, and nether regions, brow hair is deeply embedded in the dermis of skin, a feature clearly demonstrable when viewed in a light microscope.

This deep placement of hair is very different than, let’s say, the eyelid wherein fine hairs barely reach the surface of the skin and no further – we don’t really see them. These very fine, small hairs are known as vellus hair. Eyelashes of the eyelids are different, as mentioned above.

Further, some skin regions such as lips, palms, soles of feet, nipples, and parts of the genitalia lack any hair as it would interfere with tactile sensation in these regions.

Ever wonder what eyebrows are for? We don’t actually know but here are a few theories to ponder:

  • Wicks moisture (sweat or rain) away from eyes (Herophilos, 335-280 B.C.E.)
  • Helps protect eyes from offending objects
  • Scared predators once early hominids started sleeping on ground? 🤨

Recently, a meritorious theory has emerged that human eyebrows serve primarily as a means of communication. After we developed smooth foreheads, visible, hairy eyebrows enhanced our range of non-verbal emotions, such as concern, annoyance, anger, recognition, and sympathy.

Don’t believe it? Just take another gander at Murty’s Splendid Supercilia. These Luscious Laddies enjoy a vigorous life of their own! 😂😂😂

Fun Fact: For centuries and across many cultures, people have modified eyebrows by shaving, plucking, makeup, and ornamentation.  This has been going on for a very looong time. Yep, it isna just us! 😉

Read about Murty’s Fabulous Furries in Outlander book! As early as Chapter 3, Herself conjures a remarkable mental image of Murtaugh’s facial characteristics, including his supercilia!

“I found myself staring into a pair of sharp black eyes…

And who the hell are you?” I said in astonishment. My rescuer, if I cared to call him that, was some inches shorter than I and sparely built, but the bare arms protruding from the ragged shirt were knotted with muscle and his whole frame gave the impression of being made of some resilient material such as bedsprings. No beauty, either, with a pockmarked skin, low brow, and narrow jaw…

The swarthy little man shrugged. “At the foot o’ Craigh na Dun. She was havin’ words with a certain captain of dragoons wi’ whom I chanced to be acquent’,” he added, with a significant lift of his eyebrows. “There seemed to be some question as to whether the lady was or was not a whore.”

Bedsprings? 😂

Whore? 😲

See Murty’s Bodacious Brows in every Outlander episode featuring the Glorious Godfather!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo Credit: Sony/Starz