Blood Letting in Ancient Cultures

Blood letting was a common medical treatment in ancient times, believed to restore the balance to the body's humors and cure for various ailments. It was based on the theory of humors which posited that the health depended on the equilibrium of body fluids (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile) When an imbalance was suspected, blood letting was used to restore the natural balance.

Blood letting was practised by ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans as well as in China.

The practice was deeply rooted in the humoral theory, which viewed illness as a consequence of an imbalance in the body's humors.

Blood letting was performed using various methods, including:
Leeches: Leeches were used to suck out blood.
Cupping: Cups were used to create suction and draw blood.
Phlebotomy: Also known as venesection, Cutting vein to allow blood flow out.
Arteriotomy: cutting an artery, a more advanced surgical method.

Blood letting was believed to be beneficial for a wide range of conditions, including fever, inflammation, and mental illness.
The practice was declined with the rise of medicine, in the late 19th and 20th century.



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