6 @. R# q* r. A8 n! E- F/ |人在德国 社区Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 8 y, [% S" s: j6 a3 F 0 e6 A% i: f3 Q/ i人在德国 社区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.* U/ `3 [. l- t) s
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.人在德国 社区% `: K: |7 r; q: [9 r9 K+ F8 r
) j8 j* R7 b: W4 g$ B5 [. \* AThat 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. & f8 _8 e- f) q$ k7 S 2 i( d, o, |) S3 sDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.