1. "German Leeches"
Posted by harry on Feb-25th-03 at 6:46 PM

The attached item is (was) for auction on eBay. It a a receipt for the purchase of some items at a drugstore in Fall River.  The eBay ad says it's an 1890's item but the date appears to be 1889 (or possibly 1859?). What struck me was that the druggist carried "German Leeches".  I don't even want to know what they're for. No mention of Prussic acid.



(Message last edited Feb-25th-03  6:48 PM.)

Apparently European leeches were larger and could "let" more blood -- so they were imported to treat the more virulent American diseases.
Leeches are still used today, I think.  They have proved helpful in some re-attachment surgeries. This link discusses this and shows some leeches at work. 

http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~mcbstaff/graf/AvHm/MedUsemain.htm

I agree that the drugstore receipt appears to have a date from the 1850's.  In fact, doesn't it look as though the prescription form has "185_" printed after the handwritten date ...so that the druggist would simply have to fill in the last numeral?

And maggots are used to clean out wounds! In hospitals!

Next we will be reinstituting the letting of blood to prolong life. No wait, that one is true too!

Did you know that men should give blood every 4 months and it prolongs their lives (I think we talked about this before, didn't we?)?

If this is 1885, maybe we can add it to our drugstore list.
It does look as if the 185_ was preprinted, Diana, but then it also looks as if a line is drawn there through where the last numeral would go and /85 was written in in front of that--as if the clerk was using an old receipt pad.

So how come, instead of TAX, there is a Discount?


http://www.arborwood.com/awforums/show-topic-1.php?start=31&fid=27&taid=8&topid=1116

Cash discount is/was very common then or now. Don't YOU always ask for this? Used to be you could get a discount for cash, until the bank card companies forced vendors to discontinue this. Look it up.

With my white hair, I always ask for a Sr discount at Burger King or Wendy's (don't like MickeyD).

About 40 years ago the local pharmacy (a lot of old world customers) used to keep a jar of leeches by the drug counter. Old timers used them when they didn't feel well. Are they still used in Europe today?

Giving blood and getting *leeched* both probably accomplish the same thing.
Is it a build-up of iron in the blood of men?