Observations on Leeches, and their Use

From

The New Family Receipt-Book, Containing eight hundred truly valuable receipts in various branches of domestic economy.

Published by John Murray, London, 1820

The general demand for these useful reptiles, and the high price at which they are now sold, induces us to give some particulars on taking, preserving, and applying them, from a person who has attended to this business.

Three women wading in a stream gathering leeches. Coloured aquatint by R. Havell, 1814, after G. Walker. 1814. Credit: Wellcome Image Library http://images.wellcome.ac.uk/

The large brown leech is the only kind in use ; they are in general from two inches to six, though they are capable of much greater extension and contraction; sometimes they are seen darting through the water with great swiftness, at which time they are very long, at other times they will contract themselves into a form almost round. They are much rounder in body than the horse leech (which, contrary to common report, will not fasten to the human body), with a degree of taper towards each end. The colour is black, and brown stripes on their backs ; the belly is covered with dark brown, interspersed with light brown spots. The method of catching them usually employed in England, is agitating the waters where they are contained, which occasions them to float upon the surface thereof, when, with a net made for the purpose, they are secured. Other methods are employed, which would be tedious and unnecessary to relate. They are viviparous, bringing forth their young with all their power, capable of acting in every respect in which this animal is distinguished. The time of fecundity is in the months of April and May, the latter end of August and September ; the number of young ones a single leech brings forth in one year can hardly be ascertained, though it is very numerous ; for when the leech catchers rob a pond of all large enough for use, if nothing happens to obstruct fecundation, in two years afterwards they will find it largely stored with abundance of fine leeches, and a much increased number of small ones ; this is particularly found to be the case, from the method which some country people have adopted to obtain leeches as an exclusive property. In order to this, they make a pond, near their house, about three feet deep, twenty wide, and thirty long : if they cannot conveniently form one with a sandy bottom, they make the pond a little deeper, in which they deposit a few loads of sandy earth. In this pond, when filled with water, they put their leeches about April, and without any further trouble or expence, they obtain, at the proper season, a large supply of leeches.

Leeches may, with care, be preserved healthy and good for years in pans ; during the summer season not more than two hundred should be kept together; in winter, double that number may with equal propriety. The vessel they are kept in should be an earthen pan, that will contain about three gallons of water, which should not be more than half filled with water ; for I have found, by experience, that it is congenial to their nature to have a place out of the water, which they may retreat to at pleasure ; this is proved by their often hanging in clusters round the top of the pan.

From May till September their water should be changed, at least, every other day ; in winter every fourth day. The best water to keep them in is spring water, as being least disposed to putrescency. I have of late put a little moss amongst leeches, which practice I would recommend, for they are very much enamoured with it, perhaps from its resembling, in some measure, their native weeds; they creep through it, and by that means clear themselves of slime, which in the warm weather accumulates around them, and, unless removed by timely changes of water, will be productive of disease. During hot weather they should be kept in as cool a place as possible, and in the winter season place them where the water may preserve that degree of warmth it possesses in summer. When you put fresh water to them, during the cold weather, it should be deprived of that intense coldness which it possesses at that season of the year, by warming it in the smallest degree. The leech, as has been before said, feeds upon insects in its native waters, but may be, as above hinted, kept in water only for years, though they dwindle by keeping; they remain healthy, and will take with as much avidity as those recently taken from the waters, provided they are well attended to, with respect to changing their water agreeably to the rules laid down.

A medical practitioner administers leeches to a patient. Louis Boilly, after François Séraphin Delpech 1827 Credit: Wellcome Library, London

The mode which I have found, by copious experience, to be infinitely the best (being attended with quickness, certainty, and efficacy), is as follows : Let the part be first carefully washed clean with warm milk and water; if very dirty and requiring it, a little soap may also be used ; when the part is thus washed and wiped dry, rub over the part a little milk, then see that your leech is wiped dry with a smooth cloth, which being done, take it with your fingers by the middle, and apply its mouth to the very spot you wish; you will, perhaps, find it, at first, twist and extend itself in your fingers, and then wish to attach itself to some contrary part; but as repeatedly as it extends itself around, or attempts to fix upon a wrong situation, you must as repeatedly draw it back and re-apply it to the proper part; by so doing you will find it will presently seize the precise spot wished for; when you find this you must not hastily let the leech go, for they will sometimes seem to seize the part with great avidity, and in a few seconds let go their hold; but when you are convinced the leech has good hold, you may then let go, and leave it to the employment it enjoys.

I here find it necessary to remark, that the small end of the leech is the head, whereas I have repeatedly observed, that the greater part of the people, from the tail of the leech being much broader than the head, mistake the one for the other, and thereby occasion themselves a great deal of fruitless labour. When the animal has fastened himself, he generally expands the tail, and sometimes attaches it very firmly to another part of the skin, but without the least pain to the part; this hold, I have observed, the leech does not quit till it is charged with blood, and then drops off all at once.

I would here observe, that the quantity of blood the leech imbibes, is in general insufficient to answer the purpose : therefore, when the leech comes off, it is necessary to have a bason of warm water, and a sponge or rag, to keep bathing the orifice, in order to encourage the bleeding for an hour or two ; if the orifice seem disposed to bleed any longer than wished for, apply a piece of lint, three or four times double, and bandage it up.