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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 6 S3 a; L1 }. V: B% K5 Trs238848.rs.hosteurope.de * Y. O! p& f. Z, u/ TLeeches 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.人在德国 社区) O" K- f/ B. m
! Q* H3 P: Z' T. H6 C4 B3 {5 _人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood./ ^. N" ^5 c h5 ~! f
% n" K1 `( L2 ^$ C1 ^- @4 Y* kThat 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.; C- S2 ?7 x' z2 u, a5 Z- p
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.