My grandma still believes in the use of leeches… yeah, I know. Gross, right? Like bloodletting leeches. I don’t even know where she gets them from. I’m picturing her, like, hunting for leeches. I think she gets blood clots and uses them for those. I don’t ask a lot of questions. But, yes. My grandmother still uses leeches.

M likes this folk medicine because it is antiquated and you don’t often hear about the use of leeches. She likes to tell people about her grandmother’s modern use of them because it is gross and gets a horrified response from them. She also enjoys talking about her grandmother.

I cannot imagine sticking a leech onto myself to help with my ailments, but if there are helpful results, I suppose no harm is being done. I would rather go to the doctor, however, and receive modern medicine rather than leeches.