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1.Ashorthistoryinstages
1.1.Introduction
Firstrecordingsregardingblooddatebacktothe5thcenturyBC,when
aGreekphilosopher,poetandwriterEmpedoclesstatedthat“theplaceof
thoughtisthebloodpulsatingaroundtheheart”.Thewords“bloodisagift
oflife”arealsoattributedtohim.Inancientwriting,aswellasinrelicsof
Assyrian,BabylonianandGreekart,wefindnotesconcernedthemedicinal
bathsinbloodandusingitasaningredientofmanycontemporaryreme-
dies.Contrarytothebeliefthatbloodrepresentsgood,Hippocratessaid
thatevilincarnatedasbloodmustbereplacedbygoodtroughblood-letting.
AccordingtothistheorytheGreeksusedtoincisetheveinsintheantecu-
bitalarea,thepoplitealarea,onthefootandunderthetongue.Theyused
thispracticeprincipallywhendealtagainstinfectiousdiseasesbelievingthat
blood-lettinghasatherapeuticpower.TheRomansalsostatedthatbleeding
helpstoregainthebalanceinthebodywhenthelatterisdisturbed.Someof
themusedtodrinkthebloodofdefeatedgladiatorsthinkingitwillletthem
acquiretheirstrengthandcourage.Theybelievedinthetherapeuticeffect
ofthebloodandattributedhealthfulpropertiestoit,especiallytotheblood
ofspecificanimals.E.g.thebloodofacrocodilewasusedtotreatepilepsy
inmen,andthebloodofapigeonwasusedtotreatitinwomen.ARoman
doctorGalenspecified45placesonahumanbodyasthebestplacesfor
blood-letting,whichwascalled“breathingavein”.Drinkingbloodaspart
ofthehealingwasalsorecommendedbytheancientChinesemedicine,e.g.
abreadrollsoakedwithbloodwasusedasaremedyfortuberculosis.Drin-
kingfreshbloodofapigwaspracticedtotreatanaemia,whiletheblood
ofatigerwasusedtobanishdemonsfromthebody.AztecandMayantri-
besbelievedthatpracticingblood-lettinglettheevilpowersleavethebody
[Landau,2005].
