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CHAP. LXII. Of Leeches, and their use.
* 1.1IN those parts of the body whereto Cupping-glasses and horns cannot be applyed, to those Leeches may for the most part be put, as to the fundament, to open the coat of the hemor∣rhoid veins, to the mouth of the womb, the gums, lips, nose, fingers. After the Leech, be∣ing filled with blood, shall fall off, if the disease require a large evacuation of blood, and the part affected may endure it,* 1.2 Cupping-glasses, or Horns, or other Leeches shall be substituted. If the Lee∣ches be handled with the bare hand, they are angred, and become so stomachful, as that they will not bite; wherefore you shall hold them in a white and clean linnen cloth, and applie them to the skin, being first lightly scarified, or besmeared with the blood of some other creature; for thus they will take hold of the flesh, together with the skin more greedily and fully. To cause them fall off,* 1.3 you shall put some powder of aloes, salt or ashes upon their heads. If any desire to know how much blood they have drawn, let him sprinkle them with salt made into powder, as soon as they are come off; for thus they will vomit up what blood soever they have sucked. If you desire they should suck more blood then they are able to contain, cut off their tails as they suck, for thus they will make no end of sucking, for that it runs out as they suck it. The Lee∣ches, by sucking, draw the blood not only from the affected part whereto they are applyed, but also from the adjacent and distant parts. Also sometimes the part bleeds a good while after the Leeches be fallen away, which happens not by scarification after the application of Cupping-glasses or Horns. If you cannot stop the bleeding after the falling away of the Leeches, then press the half of a bean upon the wound, untill it stick of it self, for thus it will stay; also a burnt rag may be fitly applied with a bolster and fit ligature.