Others have made the less likely suggestion that he used leeches to attempt to treat the boy.

They were using leeches for his blood pressure.

I could go all the way and use leeches!

He was also an advocate of using leeches in the healing process.

However, using leeches to reduce a bloody swelling is still a practical part of modern medicine.

Doctors have found out that using leeches to drink the excess blood helps to make the pain smaller.

By that logic, hospitals would still be using leeches.

"I've used leeches myself, put them everywhere," she said.

Some of the physicians visiting the leech farm had already used leeches to treat patients - and themselves.

To buy time for the body to create its own veinous attachments, surgeons use leeches.