Medicinal Leech (Noun)
Meaning
Large European freshwater leech formerly used for bloodletting.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The medicinal leech was widely used in ancient medicine for bloodletting treatments to balance bodily humors.
- A preserved medicinal leech is displayed in a glass jar at a museum of medical history.
- Medicinal leeches were applied to the affected area to withdraw what was thought to be an excess of blood.
- In some historical practices, multiple medicinal leeches were applied to the skin simultaneously for quicker bloodletting results.
- The use of medicinal leeches for medical purposes declined significantly with the development of modern medical practices.