# _1 H0 B5 f- h" O( R# I人在德国 社区" _0 \* z# n: f/ X/ P& E
Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 5 h2 G$ ?* A7 m3 urs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 8 V2 O) B# |! L1 D% ?5 TLeeches 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. % F9 x7 i$ L# E& j( [3 @ ; Q( h" E% |5 a' L% ]5 n人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. ( s) n- u7 n+ i$ ]rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de - a% t: l* B( b, d6 p0 w% v7 OThat 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. 3 U5 X7 n [9 p7 {rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de人在德国 社区) C" z/ m, p4 T& w8 ?
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.