9 e/ Y; P& ^% A m3 Ncsuchen.deWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 7 q$ L0 U/ J. V9 P6 k3 D1 Wcsuchen.de $ U1 V/ |9 B. t9 VLeeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits. ! ?2 C B8 c- g人在德国 社区3 n7 U7 }2 J7 E) q( H9 l
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.% V2 T9 l$ c, h9 k0 w- D7 _( B% Y
9 B! j5 q; U. w3 N0 A4 s: @That idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia.6 E" p5 i) {4 |' v7 V7 h2 S2 P0 |
% k& i( e! I; G5 ?. M/ GDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.