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--- Adam Walker <carrajena@hidden.email> wrote: > Oh, well, shows how much *I* know about the fine art > of bloodletting. Scrap that idea. > > Adam > Well, appearantly it *was* done. This from the PBS web site: Methods of bloodletting The following quotation comes from the DICTIONARY OF PRACTICAL SURGERY of 18869: Bloodletting is said to be general when blood is taken from a vein or artery so that the amount in the vascular system is materially diminished as shown by diminution on the tension of the blood vessels: it is termed local when, by means of leeches, cupping, or scarification, blood is taken in smaller quantities, with a view of relieving limited congestion and vascular tension. It may be safely said that in these two methods the surgeon possesses the means of treating, in a powerful and beneficial manner, those acute inflammations and engorgements of certain important organs and serous membranes associated with hard pulse, great pain, and distress occurring from injury in persons of healthy constitutions. General bloodletting by arteriotomy Arteriotomy was said to be indicated when there was a relative emptiness of the veins and an overfullness of the larger arteries. In comparison to venesection, the operation was infrequently performed. Arteriotomy was most often performed on the superficial temporal artery or one of its branches. The vessel was partially cut through by a single transverse incision; when adequate blood was removed, the artery was completely severed so that the ends might contract and thus arrest the hemorrhage. A compress of dry lint was applied to the wound along with a tight roller bandage. Maybe Carrajenan doctor DO hold to my original cockamamy theory -- or some variant thereof. *shivvering at the thought* Oh, and Patrick, remember that at present the C-a time line only exists upto the mid/late 1300's. The Black Death is ripping through the Mediterranian world at present. I doubt Kernow doctors were averse to bloodletting in that era. Now, I certainly HOPE C-a gives up phlebotomy along with the rest of the world in the 1800's, but we'll have to see how things evolve. Adam Adam