Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 45 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

It all starts with Claire trying to figure out what to do first in her garden—and I love the comment about handling the manure being “man’s work”—only to come across someone watching her. Manfred McGillvary needs her help.

Before Lizzie, there was another woman. This was a woman he loved, but he was heading to Hillsborough to tell her that he couldn’t be with her anymore. He would need to choose Lizzie. However, this woman had died of syphilis, and now Manfred has the disease.

Claire and Jamie discuss what to do, but Jamie isn’t impressed. Well, neither is Claire, but at least Manfred spoke up about it and did the right thing instead of putting Lizzie’s life at risk. It is better for everyone in the long run.

Can’t Claire use her penicillin to treat the patient? Young Ian is shocked to hear that it might not work. Does that mean he’s not cured after the incident with Geillis Duncan?

Claire explains that Young Ian’s penicillin came from the 20th century. It was better, and she knows that Young Ian is cured, even if he had it in the first place. Young Ian would have shown signs of it by now. Manfred is different. He’s already showing signs.

The penicillin Claire has made is a cruder version. It’s not always worked on others, with some of them dying of the disease or some of them just taking time to work. She isn’t sure that the penicillin is going to work on Manfred.