The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-04
LEECHEs.
a Can for the American Variety, whose
Greed 10 Ltmlted.

Greed IL Llnited.
WARRINGTON. Nov. 3.-Congress ought surely
to place protective tariff on leeches- For
years past the European lecch hns been driv-
ing tho American variety out Of the market in
the United States until there has come to be-
hardly any sale worth mentioning for domestic
leeches. except in PHILADELPHIA. Physicians in
that city have continued to maintain the value
Of leecbes born and raised In this country.
About all the collecting OF these interesting
worms done at present in Uncle Sans realm Is
limited to Bucks and Derks counties In Ponn-
sylvania.
In former times ponds In eastern Massachu-
sets. including the south end Of Cape Cod.
were noted for the great numbers Of leeches
which they contained. and early in the present
century leeches were regularly collected from
them for medicinal purposes. Though bigger
than the foreign species. often reaching II
inches in length. they are not SO powerful as
blood suckers. and for this very reason they
are preferred to the latter for the treatment Of
certain complaints. They can be used freely
and with less danger to the patient: also they
can be employed upon delicate parts Of the
body where the imported kind would act too
vigorously. For application near the eye they
are especially recommended. and several are
sometimes used distributed over wide space.
where it is thought best not to extract the en-
tire amount Of blood from single point. It is
do The werk 81 one
they feeble 50 much the
among physicians In favor Of leeches as q
method Of drawing blood. The business Of
been carried on proiltably in Europe for many
years. Up. TO forty years ago the Old World
SWedee Rassp Posnd snd The
swnInry, regions where they grew and were
were dried up Thus was oeeasionGd a famine
tho Realization a Of great MISFORTUNE. strenuous
efforts were made TO find q remedy. and sew
csssful results In leech culture. At the present
Sa1 s5a PARE PGnGs sed pqssSs ssay
srs sent to England ana thes United States. unl
The si loeafltes selsetsa t0r m rur.
poses are sYampy meadows, where the Hotto9
iSu plots dtche S
arrives In 1Rs and dnIy u End S at
dtshes. The M meadow ats remainns dry the
the MARGINS q the ditches. When the young
eight inches. Before the young ones come out
are oaa lit and transferred to other places. lest
they, eat too much OF the food required by the
~ The
cattle. which are driven into the shallow water
twice u week and permitted to remain fora
certain time. 1t is only the feet Of the animals
that the worms attack, but they get enough
s susie this Way to row rapidly, Fresh
s s Wits Se .s hfs e'sf III sG ths
It mas been stated that oWners.of ponds arc
accustomed 70 buy old and diseased horses for
Il e. By nv
fodiss. and Kill them " slow torture. This
may be done but It Is seTttainy not
ff S fnehes IN I sey are GRADED IN
tho market as small. medium. aud large; but
being considered too dangerous to use. They
are transported and stored In wooden casos or
pals containing swamp earth or mould. The
Ing lasts longer after the creature Is detached
Ponds for pro3paSatine lseches arttGally
Isana, in New Jersey, and near ST. Louis, but
they have not proved successful. presumably
for lack OF knowledge on the part % the own
from rs ety. ?ss sTa esn aefes a
81 sssSss Tt fssD snSsks snpfas
and tadpoles. attaching themselves to the
throats q their victims and quickly killing
Shiny cocoon. hall IN inch In diameter. Such
cocoons may often be seen ,ncnr the edge OF
pools whore they are left to be Matched by the
heat OF the sun. There are crest many Spe-
oies OF leechss. but only one is native to North
Europe.