2 H; E6 u5 m3 O7 K+ X/ F0 @rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 4 M' Y; T, K- \- n; z 7 a3 p1 p8 b2 b$ _Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 , Y! g; L- Q* ~/ F ^. L' P+ a. H2 q1 ^) p6 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. ' N3 `# t9 o) P! ?9 H6 d8 I人在德国 社区' s7 w J }$ {# Z! R( C
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.' f; }6 H% l8 [8 v1 f
/ o9 E& l$ E' \) ?/ 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.: t3 i1 ^8 P9 a$ H. ~. S2 u( Z0 E6 T3 h
: {5 A7 L; U+ e8 S+ b! o' j人在德国 社区Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.