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In season 5 episode 5 ("Kill the Boy") of Game of Thrones, Ser Jorah Mormont contracts greyscale.

a spot of greyscale

If Ser Jorah Mormont cut off his arm would he be cured?

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  • don't you think that's a part of future work? that has not happened yet.
    – Nika G.
    Commented Jun 11, 2017 at 14:29
  • 4
    @NikaG. The questioner is using Ser Jorah as the example, but it can easily be read as: "Is this considered a cure in the GoT universe?"
    – Erin Thursby
    Commented Jun 11, 2017 at 16:20
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    Slightly related: In the books Jon Connington considers amputating his fingers, but he reasons he would have no way to hide that. He must keep his illness secret, or he would be abandoned by the lords loyal to him. Later he finds that a finger in another hand is also affected; the amputation wouldn't have saved him.
    – user65188
    Commented Jun 12, 2017 at 7:27
  • @Ville-ValtteriTiittanen To add: this is relevant because Jorah in the show has become a stand-in for JonCon.
    – Möoz
    Commented Jun 13, 2017 at 0:22
  • @Mooz If they were in the same situation, I would have posted that as answer. But Jorah has no reason to hide his illness, because he is an exile already. Amputation could be a plausible solution for him.
    – user65188
    Commented Jun 13, 2017 at 6:13

1 Answer 1

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Maybe, but given the possible consequences of such a "surgical operation", it would probably not be worth the risk.

In the books

Stone eyes are blind eyes, thought Tyrion. The mortal form of greyscale began in the extremities, he knew: a tingling in a fingertip, a toenail turning black, a loss of feeling. As the numbness crept into the hand, or stole past the foot and up the leg, the flesh stiffened and grew cold and the victim's skin took on a greyish hue, resembling stone. He had heard it said that there were three good cures for greyscale: axe and sword and cleaver. Hacking off afflicted parts did sometimes stop the spread of the disease, Tyrion knew, but not always. Many a man had sacrificed one arm or foot, only to find the other going grey. Once that happened, hope was gone. Blindness was common when the stone reached the face. In the final stages the curse turned inward, to muscles, bones, and inner organs.

A Dance with Dragons - chapter 18 (Tyrion V)

(emphasis mine)

In the TV show

ARCHMAESTER EBROSE: The infection has spread too far. You should have cut off your arm the moment you were touched.

Game of Thrones - Season 7, Episode 2

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    "not be worth the risk"? If he doesn't try it, he is definitely dead. If he does try, he might live. How can you call that a risk?
    – Jerry B
    Commented Jun 12, 2017 at 6:47
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    @JerryB With amputation, he risks instant death. With grayscale, he can continue living for years.
    – user65188
    Commented Jun 12, 2017 at 7:23
  • In GoT world, he will probably get it chopped off with LongClaw - his father's valerian sword in Jon's possession.
    – Jeremy Thompson
    Commented Jun 12, 2017 at 10:59
  • @JeremyThompson You find out a bit more of what happens with Ser Jorah Mormont and his arm in SE7E01.
    – TylerH
    Commented Jul 17, 2017 at 16:09
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    Grayscale isn't necessarily fatal; Shireen had it, and lived.
    – alexgbelov
    Commented Jan 5, 2018 at 1:29

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