The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-10-04
From tie Medical Retormer.
A Few Objections 10 Lceches.

Reformer in considering some of the more
important objections to the therapeutical
application of Leeches. Less than half a
century ago, venesection was considered by
the members of the allopathic profession as
the only reliable remedy for inaammatory
disease, and was frequently resorted to by
the more heroic practitioners in controlling
affections of an asthenic or debilitating cha
racter. But the almost Incredible advance
ment of the Reformed system of Medicine,
and its infinitely superior success in the
treatment of all the maladies to which hui
man flesh is heir, have changed the tenor
Of public opinion, and compelled the advo-
Gates of the lancet to abandon remedial a.
gent so totally at variance with all The laws
of the human economy. The experience
and knowledge of nearly three thousand
regularly educated physicians in this coun-
try, have proved to every unbiased and in
telligent mind that bloodletting is an unnec-
essary, unscienufic and barbarous measure
generally injurious TO the patient and Of
ten fatal to life. will moi, therefore, fill the
pages of the Reformer with an instructive
dissertation upon the irrationality of gener.
al bloodletting, but confne my objections
almost exclusively to the detrimental effects
of Lceches in the treatment of disease.
| Since phlebotomy has become unfashion-
able, the Old School physicians of the pres
ent day resort to leeches and cups, to pro-
duce those remedial results which their re.
strctcd medical education renders it impos-
sibe for them to attain by the more inno-
cent, natural and edcctual resources of the
New School
Topical bloodlet,ing, by leechcs and cup
ping-glasses, cannot be regarded as capable
of producing as injurious effects upon the
constitution as general bloodletting-but
the Ultimate and inevitable result of the
loss of blood upon the system is debility
The condition of the patient, or the concom-
liant circumstances of the case, may in ma
ny instances materially alter the effects
The abstraction of small quantity OF blood
from person labouring under al asthenic
disease, or from one possessing an anemic
habit, will generally prove more disastrous
than the removal of much larger quantity
from person of opposite condition or con-
siitution. Again, local bloodletting cannot
be considered as dangerous as venesection,
because there is no direct shock produced
upon the system by the former mode, and
the removal taking place more gradually,
sufficient time is allowed for tho vessels of
the part to contracttheir calibor TO the guam
tity of blood remaining in them; Arteriot-
omy or phlebotomy is very seldom rcsorted
to in diseases of children, because more
available substitute can be had in lceches.
Watson in his Practice says: (page 1887 "Jt
is seldom necessary, for in children we can
always get as much blood by topical bleed
ing as will be equivalent TO general blood
letting" From this admission il is very
evident that leeches are more frequently ap-
piled 10 children than TO adults, and taking
into consideration the immense number an
nualIy imported into this country, amount
ing as has been supposed 10 several mil
lions, and large majority of them consum-
cd in sucking from the infantile portion Of
the community that vital and all pervading
fluid which is essential 10 earthly health
and existence, can we not then refer large
part of the astonishing mortality among
children 10 the therapeutical application OF
those delectable animals? think we can.
The lccch is now considered the most valu-
able remedy of the Allopathic Materia Med
lea for relieving exuavasations or conges-
iions of blood, or for discussing local innam-
nations, and is also regarded as an excel
lent substitute in cases where the use Of the
scariiicator would be impossible OF unad-
visible
very prevalent opinion exists among a
large portion of the community, that leechos
are very eGectual agents in reducing sub
cutaneous cxtravasation of blood-in COM
mon parlance-leeches are always nsces-
sary to relieve part of an accumulation
Of bruised blood, resulting from an injury,
etc. But such an opinion is totally errone-
Gus. Several respectable "leechers" of this
city have admitted that leeches will not suck
stagnated blood from part of the body. j
have known 'tleechers" to refuse to apply
leoches TO "blacken eye,o although or
dered to do so by popular physicians, and
on the plea that the effects would prove
more injurious than beneficial, and possibly
destroy the organ. Again, if you attempt
10 remove blood from bruise by leeches, it
must be done prior TO the Inflammation set
ting in, or after it has subsidized, otherwise
the cech bites will increase the infamma-
tion, and prove moro serious than the origi-
nal difficulty. But there will be no neces-
sity of extracting the blood after innamma-
ton has disappeared, the recuperative pow
ers of nature will restore the blood TO its
proper vessels and produce restoration.
The cautions recommended in the books
to be regarded, as well as the dangers re-
sulting from the application of leeches, are
arguments sufficiently strong TO convince
any intelligent and liberal, medical man
that leeching is an unnecessary and injuri-
ous measure.