% _+ k: u% y( P" o( O( Q人在德国 社区Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20119 s8 m1 m8 b& J& u( s, a
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Leeches 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. 1 k$ O9 l4 H) Z7 ? T3 a3 _# ]9 h5 s9 {7 J2 m
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. : f) ]1 r: i8 Z ) F$ B+ P$ P3 C% N% I( ]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. 5 z. p9 k+ G% a7 t! v+ e E , Q9 r+ h, g* N+ d6 g人在德国 社区Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.