* D9 {8 _% i3 W9 w1 Z" C 7 k3 R3 n8 Z0 V# N. G. n2 X人在德国 社区0 N/ q1 h/ Y! t( }7 k/ a5 v7 T* o4 _. A
Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 : k, u }' x, H$ q* o7 V3 n& e+ N% l0 U6 V! B* M
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. # w. |2 I$ m% E9 Y1 g, y1 d; E1 s& f. [
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. ' q8 G8 t, ~+ o+ Y3 n% q( t+ a- K! ~/ v ) h: v8 w0 a7 J- S) z. m; b+ 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.人在德国 社区0 T/ H6 o2 @- l( {
^ h! K0 Q6 M' S$ lDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.