Succès et déclin d’un agent thérapeutique : la sangsue

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to question what contributes to the success of certain remedies at a given time. Leeches are an interesting example in this respect. Indeed, leeches aroused a real craze among the public in the first half of the 19th century. For some historians, this success was due to the lack of surgeons to practice bloodletting and the success of François Broussais’ theories. Without denying these two elements, we show that the use of leeches also testifies to the persistence of humoral theories and the maintenance of bloodletting. Nevertheless, the massive recourse to leeches can be explained by the doubts of some doctors about the virtues of general bloodletting. Applied to certain areas, they also have the advantage of being easy to use. Finally, the role of patients, who are less afraid of leeches than of general bloodletting, should not be overlooked. This demand for leeches stimulates the hirudoculture sector and arouses the interest of the State. In summary, leeches appear as a “transitional remedy” that accompanies the slow decline of bloodletting and humoral medicine.

Keywords

• remedy
• therapeutic agent
• leech
• Broussais
• bloodletting
• medical theories