( W# \# A# g$ T2 u2 irs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 9 B9 G; m+ d: S7 @0 w+ v, v u( U人在德国 社区rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de+ P; H3 V' f9 O% B4 G
/ l7 V4 @6 e1 u _; r- V! N5 hrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de* f# x' X0 H5 e8 r# D% r
Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 , U8 g2 Q- s x& r a( O6 _& a1 s3 \5 q0 `; p5 u
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. % }+ f H( G* \, q# d( {/ Trs238848.rs.hosteurope.de( O0 S" S: `0 C! g2 [
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. # s. x( a Z' u6 _6 r8 H人在德国 社区3 K' d; q; s/ r3 {3 S9 }) ~
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.4 w$ z- W& D; [0 I6 V9 ]
. M3 U* B6 d: r) |- x3 M; i5 ]) b- N
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.