Was bleeding as a medical practice pure quackery or was there a practical reason for it? (ancient, 1980s)
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With the benefit of modern knowledge, we often look at ancient or historical practices as purely backward and downright foolish, but sometimes those practices were developed for at least, at that time, some sort of practical reason based on the circumstances of the time.
When the practice of bleeding patients began was there any logical reason for it all, any benefit at all, or was it complete quackery and if it was, how did it last for so long as a practice?
Bloodletting can reduce blood pressure (obviously), slightly reduce the work of the spleen in getting rid of old blood cells, and make blood less viscous. It is common for a portion of people who donate blood to feel more energized for a few days after donating.
There are also medical conditions where bloodletting is vital, such as polycythemia.
Not all quackery. The problems came in when they let too much blood.
The idea was that the blood was "bad" and if the body produced new blood the ailment would be gone. In some cases it could be beneficial. In experiments today, full body blood replacement has been shown to cure certain illnesses.
Bloodletting can reduce blood pressure (obviously), slightly reduce the work of the spleen in getting rid of old blood cells, and make blood less viscous. It is common for a portion of people who donate blood to feel more energized for a few days after donating.
There are also medical conditions where bloodletting is vital, such as polycythemia.
Although I don't remember the condition my father had, he had to have bloodletting done 3-4 times a year for about 2 years. And that was just in the 1980s.
Pretty positive they simply overdid with bloodletting what was known for centuries with leeches.
Medicinal leech therapy made an international comeback in the 1970s in microsurgery,[6][7] used to stimulate circulation to salvage skin grafts and other tissue threatened by postoperative venous congestion,[6][8] particularly in finger reattachment and reconstructive surgery of the ear, nose, lip, and eyelid.[7][9] Other clinical applications of medicinal leech therapy include varicose veins, muscle cramps, thrombophlebitis, and osteoarthritis, among many varied conditions.[10] The therapeutic effect is not from the blood taken in the meal, but from the continued and steady bleeding from the wound left after the leech has detached, as well as the anesthetizing, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilating properties of the secreted leech saliva.[2] The most common complication from leech treatment is prolonged bleeding, which can easily be treated, although allergic reactions and bacterial infections may also occur.[2] Because of the minuscule amounts of hirudin present in leeches, it is impractical to harvest the substance for widespread medical use. Hirudin (and related substances) are synthesised using recombinant techniques.
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