% g! a5 v# C( \0 B& U' {Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011人在德国 社区9 E0 B. ]) D* M$ o( V6 q' U& W
$ n/ t8 A/ l5 \9 DLeeches 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.# @# D' w0 A2 j0 q7 Z' h) Y
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. & Q5 z2 i% n% q( v1 i* m% irs238848.rs.hosteurope.de( r2 v; v) X) n( ]
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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de% M) x" a% T4 @& U" k9 w
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.