What medical condition does Colum have in Outlander? Details explored

Colum (Gary Lewis) suffered from Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome in Outlander. The medical condition was written by author Diana Gabaldon in her series of fantasy adventure books, which were adapted into the Starz series.

While Dougal was hot-headed and short-tempered, his brother and Clan MacKenzie laird, Colum, was cold and calculating. However, his harrowing condition hindered his duties and day-to-day activities in Castle Leoch and he was insecure about this physical deformity.

Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome in Outlander is a rare and genetic bone disorder that leads to many skeletal abnormalities and very weak and dense bones. While the show features a fictional version of this disease, it is usually accompanied by almost skeletal-like legs and excruciating pain, like in Colum's case. It was Claire who first identified and named Colum's medical condition in Season 1, as she was equipped with advanced medical knowledge from the 20th century.

More on Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome in Outlander in our story.

Claire diagnosed Colum's condition as Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome in Outlander

The freshman season of Starz's fantasy series introduced the character of Colum MacKenzie, the laird of his clan. While Colum showed impressive leadership skills and quick judgment towards his people, he was hindered because of his physical deformity.

While the people of 18th-century Scotland were not equipped with the medical knowledge to understand Colum's condition, Claire privately diagnosed it as Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome, also known as pycnodysostosis. Through her voiceovers, we also learn that the condition is genetic and brings a great amount of pain for the person. Colum's medical condition even made Claire sympathetic to him as the show progressed.

What is Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome in Outlander?

Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome was named after the famous 19th-century French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who also suffered from this condition. The syndrome is a rare mutation that affects bone density, resulting in very weak, brittle and dense bones. The skeleton-like exterior is one of the physical side effects of this condition.

Colum's Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome in Outlander was also accompanied by weak bones and a short stature. The MacKenzie laird not only had difficulty in walking but his legs were thin like a skeleton, almost in a bow shape. Additionally, the condition had also left his skin brittle and with many wrinkles. While the Starz series does not mention it explicitly, Colum's syndrome was likely accompanied by fertility issues for the character, which is why Colum's son Hamish was fathered by Dougal.

While the MacKenzie men believed that Colum's Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome in Outlander is likely because of his brutal fall from a horse and some flight of stairs, Claire made a proper diagnosis. This particular incident was even depicted in Outlander: Blood of My Blood, but the cause behind his condition was never mentioned. Further seasons of the spin-off might expand on this storyline.

Colum died because of his syndrome in Outlander

As Claire felt sympathy for Colum's condition, she used her advanced medical knowledge to ease his pain. After she was forcefully made the clan's healer, she aided Colum by massaging the base of his spine, which eased his pain to a huge degree.

However, Colum's condition deteriorated as episodes went by and became almost unbearable just before the Battle of Culloden. Since Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome is degenerative, Colum was in great pain on his deathbed and finally asked Claire to mercy kill him. After much hesitation, Claire euthanised Colum with a vial of yellow jasmine (which acted as poison) and finally put the Clan MacKenzie laird at ease.

Despite his condition, Colum remained a faithful and loyal laird to his clan, aided by Dougal, who acted as his war chieftain.

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