The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-07-28


you want to effect cure. have young
men, and women too, coming to me once
in a while with black swellings around
their eyes that could have come but in
one way, and it is wonderful how they
gratuitously exert their ingenuity in de-
vising ways to satisfy me that the con-
fusion was caused by an accident. One
young man who had evidently been in
lively company and whose head bore
marks Of very hard usage, came to me
the other day to have his eyes leeched.
There were big mounds of blackened
flesh under and around both his optics,
and he loked as though somebody had
been playing football with his head.
That was bad fall had last night
said he, as if to explain the condition of
the eyes. Yes said /, two or three of
them Then he didn't try to explain
any more. One young woman whose hus-
band is a brute has been to me more than
once for leeches, and all who meet with
would do well TO use the leech treatment
rather than to resort to the eye painter.
There are not a half Il dozen artists in
the world who can initiate the human
complexion to conceal black eye, but
the little leech takes all the blackness
out in a .jiify. All the scar he leaves is
not bigger than pins head and soon
goes away"
What other complaints are treated
in this manner was asked.
"The leech is prescribed in the early
stages of sciatica, rheumatism and in
o.,.... OF severe strains and eontIsiC,'ns"
''llow do you apply them9" was asked.
with my hand. l anoint the spot
where l want them to go to work by
placing on it Il drop or two of blood
drawn from my own finger. Others
puncture the spot where the leech is to
work, and others put sugar water over
it. BY any of these means you can
usually get a leech to take hold, and
when he once gets hold he never lets go
while his skin will hold a single drop
more"
as Il leech good for anything after
having been used once?' said the re-
porter.
They can 0e used again" she an
swered, "but no reputable leecher would
so use them. When the patient gets
leeched he is supposed to buy and pay
for the leeches, and always kill them
after they have gorged themselves.
When they once take hold they will not
stop until they have distended their skin
to its utmost. No, | never saw one
burst, but they always stop smoking and
drop off at about the time you would
think they could hold no more. When
they drop put them in vinegar, which
equally good. and salt is used also to stop
the blood from the wound, which some
times flows freely after the leecll has
dropped off. l know Of case some
years ago in which the use of leech
the second time innOculated a whole
family with small pox. For this reason,
as well as for the one have already
given, never use leech the second
time. Some operators strip them after
they drop, leaving only little blood in
them, and then put them back into their
jars for future use
THE PRACTICE GROWING DAILY.
Other leechers say that the demand
for their services is increasing day by
day. One said that he had been in the
business for thirty years, but had done
but little until very recently. The doc
tors, lie thought, were returning to their
senses 4 tritle, and We're getting ready to
acknowledge that some of the old prac-
tees were better and more eflicacious
than the new. All professed to kill the
leeches after having used them.
The Swedish leechcs, which are i'm
ported by New York firm, and come
packed i'll damp moss, are used largely
i'll this city. The fee of operators ranges
flom So to s.. There are some thirty
members of this ancient and curious
guild in the city.