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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011" U( O$ ], G" t1 v# q7 P
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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. $ [9 W7 Y" a, A* N4 J% I# J. Dwww.csuchen.de9 d7 V$ I2 p7 E: C |) V5 E
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. 1 Z D5 C9 c% F) x/ @) } N2 H 9 V2 D( [! A1 G6 Q! N; N' H9 ?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. 7 n, S8 z F& T$ s$ M" }7 J$ `; o6 x. Q) \6 k' [" h
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.