! K" ? Y+ z+ X* P; fWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011$ a0 d9 _4 w v% f8 @) Q6 f& T
- X. s& r8 T/ B/ e, \. m1 y" ^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., J* e+ e9 s/ x
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. 5 U) c0 B1 Q) |' c- Y人在德国 社区( _: d9 o7 ~" I; Q) M
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./ |; p) W/ a3 L& K- [6 L; [
9 D$ Y1 |/ U% M. _+ d人在德国 社区Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.