, @( F9 t: W% V; ? [( U人在德国 社区 ( }+ o" i. |8 W* kWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 * s& u0 u, \4 u2 C: W , \0 J' c- H, u, h' X) R9 H# wLeeches 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.8 ^0 P. H: v0 P5 P: }
9 B1 K4 x# _0 b! TThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.6 `3 T# l1 o* Z) [
9 q7 x/ N7 [0 s4 C P3 @0 D/ ?- eThat 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./ N7 |. Q7 R- V1 | `$ \$ t
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.