<div class="description">
<p>Leeches were used in bloodletting &amp;#150; a practice once carried out to treat a wide range of diseases and medical conditions. This jar was used to hold leeches which would have been on sale to medical practitioners. They are a type of worm with suckers at both ends of the body although only the frontal sucker, which has teeth, is used to feed. Once attached to a living body, they feed on blood. They can live for quite a while between meals, so the lid has holes in the top to allow air into the jar.
</p><p>Leeches were such a popular treatment that by 1830 their demand outstripped the supply. Leeches are again being used today following plastic and reconstructive surgery as they help restore blood flow and circulation.
</p><p>maker: Unknown maker
</p><p>Place made: England, United Kingdom
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<p>Wellcome Images<br>
Keywords: Bloodletting; leech jar</p></div>
<p><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/obf_images/a6/06/06ec79eed7b4b78046af85676421.jpg">https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/obf_images/a6/06/06ec79eed7b4b78046af85676421.jpg</a>
</p>
<ul><li>Gallery: <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/L0058506.html">https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/L0058506.html</a></li>
<li>Wellcome Collection gallery (2018-04-01): <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://wellcomecollection.org/works/e7jdyep8">https://wellcomecollection.org/works/e7jdyep8</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY-4.0</a></li></ul>