Bloodletting (phlebotomy) was used in ancient time.
         Yuck, that's gross!
         All ancient civilizations practiced it. Egyptians and  Greeks used it for superstition and religious beliefs.  It was supposed to cure illness and make a patient healthier. The human body was relieved of juices and blood, which became unbalanced and caused sickness. Juices? How disgusting!
          Blood was taken with lancets or by applying leeches.

     Leeches were used through history. Leeches are parasites.    When attached to the skin, they fasten  themselves with two suckers, one at the tail and one atthe head. Talk about a sucker! Then they drink for days or weeks. 
In 1850, Frenchmen bought about 100 million leeches. In Paris alone, leeches drank about 200,000 pounds of human blood. Those were happy leeches!
Nineteenth century leech jars

                  Woodcut dated 1639.
A woman applies a leech to her arm. Is she crazy? 

 

In December 1799, after a day spent riding on his farm in bad weather, Washington's throat became inflamed. At 2 A.M. on December 14, he awakened his wife to say that he was having trouble breathing. At sunrise, Dr. James Craig arrived at 9 A.M. and diagnosed the illness as "inflammatory quinsy." What in the world is that? During the morning, Washington was bled three times and two more doctors were summoned. One counseled against bleeding, but more blood was taken!

Poor George...did he die of a sore throat or loss of blood?

British freshwater leeches  Those are leeches?

Even now, people use leeches to heal severe wounds. Doctors in the United States and all over the world are using leeches to help damaged blood vessels heal, reattached limbs to grow back on, and circulation to be restored.

People who have lost fingers or toes, whose only hope was the work of a leech, are thankful for the little worm with a powerful suction! 

A leech has two suckers-one on its head

When a leech leeches on, look out!  It won't have to eat again for a year or so!

Jaci's toe looks like it could use a leech or two!