🚀 go-pugleaf

YFerry wrote:
> caprina@cuug.ab.ca (Caprina) wrote:
>
> >The very idea of deliberately keeping creatures around that like
human
> >blood is twisted and disgusting! A pet is supposed to be a friend,
not
> >aan enemy, and anything that eats you is an enemy, nothing more than
a
> >lowly parasite!
>
> No offense, but I have to *totally* disagree with this.  Granted, I
would
> never (ever) want to look at, much less own, a leech, myself.  But.
>
<< snip >>
>
> I'm the last person on the planet who would judge someone else for
the
> type of pet they wanted to keep.  I reserve my judgement for the
folks who
> refuse to care for their pets (of any sort) properly.
>
> Yvette.

I agree with Yvette, and as far as culturing them, or keeping them long
term, certainly someone must have come up with a method. Back in the
day when you could go to your neighborhood Barber for a haircut and a
bloodletting there must have been some method of keeping them alive
long enough to have have some lively ones available at a moments
notice.

Today leeches seem to come back into favor again in the medical
community. The FDA recently approved their use in the treatment of some
conditions.

Which reminds me, of course, of the way in which maggots have been used
in the medical treatment of bedsores. As you can probably imagine,
common houseflies are attracted to the moisture and warmth of a typical
bedsore (decubitus ulcer) provides. At some point medical professionals
noticed that bedsores that were infested with maggots seemed to heal
faster than those without maggots. As the maggots consume the diseased
and infected tissue in the bed sore they give the healthy tissue a
better chance of recovery and speed up the overall healing process.

Caprina, you shouldn't be so dismissive of our friend the Leech.
Leeches (and maggots) are marvelous creatures. You shouldn't take them
for granted. One day a leech or maggot may very well save your life!!

-Decubitus Ulcer