3 O! W' s6 A) F j人在德国 社区Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 ( T# M4 P; N! d2 u4 ~9 {$ d) drs238848.rs.hosteurope.de, x2 ~! [# r# S X# G% e; v$ S1 G
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.6 u4 w$ U5 {1 N5 u, q/ U
/ S# h2 c) g9 s/ ], ?) fThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.人在德国 社区" O& N- R6 m9 Z4 i/ C& v# q" X
- T# o$ A4 I3 y2 L e* gThat 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. : b4 ?* {7 ~: f& j; o, l' {6 d i2 V h0 C5 p
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.