Fun Fact: os nasale

Starz episode 306, A. Malcolm

Anatomy def: The ossa nasale are small paired bones forming the bridge of nose. These support the softer cartilage sides and tip of nose.

Outlander def: Delicate nose bones in peril as arduous sweethearts bump-thump: Jamie’s hard head meets Claire’s delicate bridge of nose. Och! What a memorable moment for the two lovers, underscoring 20 years of absence!!! 

Learn about ossa nasale in Anatomy Lesson #28, Claire’s Nose – The Savvy Sniffer!

Diana’s books are replete with examples of Claire sniffing out all manner of splendors, offenders and defenders! Intact ossa nasale provide the very best nasal architecture for her (and us) to sample odors, smells, scents, aromas, fragrances, reeks, stinks, miasmas, whiffs, flavors, fetors, airs, aurae, stenches and funks. Claire’s savvy sniffer does ‘em all!

Read about Claire’s ossa nasale in Voyager book. The two-decades, long-awaited moment is interrupted with a head-to-nose kebby-lebby!

My nose hit his forehead with a sickening crunch. My eyes watered profusely as I rolled away from him, clutching my face. “Ow!”

“Christ, have I hurt ye, Claire?” Blinking away the tears, I could see his face, hovering anxiously over me. “No,” I said stupidly. “My nose is broken, though, I think.” “No, it isn’t,” he said, gently feeling the bridge of my nose. “When ye break your nose, it makes a nasty crunching sound, and ye bleed like a pig. It’s all right.” 

I felt gingerly beneath my nostrils, but he was right; I wasn’t bleeding. The pain had receded quickly, too. As I realized that, I also realized that he……

Psst….for the rest of this passage,….. read the book! <G>

See Och! See Jamie’s head smack the bridge of Claire’s nose and Claire grip her ossa nasale in Outlander, episode 306, A. Malcolm! Laddie, yer heid is as hard as an iron pot, or so says your sister, Jenny! ?

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo Credit: Sony/Starz

Fun Fact: mentalis

image of Marsali, Fergus and Jamie from Outlander TV show.

Starz episode 309, The doldrums

Anatomy def: Paired mentalis muscles arise from mandible and insert into skin of chin. These elevate and wrinkle chin skin and, when fully contracted, protrude the lower lip.

Outlander def:  The “you-canna-tell-me-and-Fergus-what-to-do” muscles. Marsali is spectacular at wrinkling chin-skin as she glares at her step-father aboard the rocking Artemis. When an immovable object meets an unstoppable force – dinna mess with #defiantmarsali!

Learn about mentalis muscles in Antomy Lesson #26, Jamie’s Chin – Manly Mentus.

Because mentalis muscles wrinkle chin skin and protrude lower lip, these are  sometimes termed the “pouting muscles.” Particularly useful to express doubt or displeasure! (See above: Marsali)  <G> 

Read about chins in Voyager book: pouty, pugnacious, stubbled, stubborn, thoughtful, pointed, expressive… Herself covers all the chin-bits because chins are very expressive facial structures. Aye? A great quote about Marsali’s chin. Pssst…… please lass, dinna address your step-mum this way! We love our Claire and you will, too. Give her a chance!

I was writing in our shared cabin, making surgical notes on a minor amputation—two smashed toes on one of the foredeck hands. I had just completed a drawing of the surgical site, when a shadow darkened the doorway of the cabin, and I looked up to see Marsali standing there, chin thrust out pugnaciously.

“I need to know something,” she said firmly. “I dinna like ye, and I reckon ye ken that, but Da says you’re a wisewoman, and I think you’re maybe an honest woman, even if ye are a whore, so you’ll maybe tell me.”

See Marsali’s pugnacious chin in Starz episode 309, The Doldrums, as she confronts Jamie (and later in the same episode, she confronts Claire). Ruined reputation or no, she will have her Frenchy-Fergus!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo Credit: Sony/Starz

FF: Levator Palpebrae Superioris

levator palpebra superioris <ləˈvādər> <pāl’pə-brə>

n. sing. palpebra; n. pl. pal·pe·brae (-brē′)

Latin levare meaning “lift” – palpebra meaning “eyelid” – superioris meaning “upper”

first use mid-1700s

http://gph.is/2eXRjb4

Anatomy def: Levator palpebrae superioris are muscles lifting the superior (upper) eyelids. Why palpebrae? There are two such muscles – one for each eye; contracting together, they open the eyelids.

Outlander def: Jamie’s lid lifters raise in dismay, reminding him that he is alive, when he prefers death!

Learn about levator palpebrae superioris in Anatomy Lesson #29, The Eyes Have It!  This lesson teaches that only upper eyelids are lifted by muscles; lower eyelids glide open by the pull of gravity.

Read about Jamie eyes post-Culloden in Outlander book. Herself informs us that the Laird’s eyes were crusted shut with blood so they resisted opening. Levator palpebrae superioris muscles did the heavy lifting so he could gaze upon the encroaching aftermath. He’s alive but wishes he wasna!

The hand struck something hard, and the fingers tangled in wet, snarled hair. He sat up abruptly, and with some effort, cracked the layer of dried blood that had sealed his eyelids shut. Memory flooded back, and he groaned aloud. He had been mistaken. This was hell. But James Fraser was unfortunately not dead, after all.

See Jamie lift his upper eyelids as he awakens to the horrific devastation of Culloden Battlefield and the remembered loss of Claire! Both levators contract to reveal those bonny blues! Gif courtesy of Starz S.3 trailer. TY Starz!!!