Hirudo Medicinalis (Noun)
Meaning
Large European freshwater leech formerly used for bloodletting.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The hirudo medicinalis was once widely used in the medical field for its anticoagulant properties.
- Leeches of the species hirudo medicinalis have been used for centuries in the practice of bloodletting.
- Hirudo medicinalis, also known as the European medicinal leech, has a long history of use in medical treatments.
- In the past, doctors would often apply hirudo medicinalis to a patient's skin to draw out what was thought to be "bad blood".
- The hirudo medicinalis is still used today in some medical procedures, such as reattaching severed limbs.