Cutting and bleeding definitely have physiological effects. My point is that they aren’t used prophylactically anymore because the invisible science behind their beneficial effects is somewhat understood.
I went to the Arizona State University to check references – their science library had a copies of Hans Selye’s various books. Selye was a pioneer in the physiology of stress. One of the sections I remember was a discussion of how bleeding induces the stress response, which can rally the body to repair itself. Selye said this is why bleeding sometimes seemed to have a beneficial effect – it really was helpful, in some cases. But Barber Theodorics didn’t know why bleeding sometimes helped, and sometimes killed their patient.
An earlier draft of this essay had a bit about how bleeding and leeches are still used for specific conditions (excess iron in the blood and limb reattachment). Scientists have figured out how to more directly aid the body’s stress response, so draining blood to induce stress isn’t necessary anymore.
Cutting and bleeding definitely have physiological effects. My point is that they aren’t used prophylactically anymore because the invisible science behind their beneficial effects is somewhat understood.
I went to the Arizona State University to check references – their science library had a copies of Hans Selye’s various books. Selye was a pioneer in the physiology of stress. One of the sections I remember was a discussion of how bleeding induces the stress response, which can rally the body to repair itself. Selye said this is why bleeding sometimes seemed to have a beneficial effect – it really was helpful, in some cases. But Barber Theodorics didn’t know why bleeding sometimes helped, and sometimes killed their patient.
An earlier draft of this essay had a bit about how bleeding and leeches are still used for specific conditions (excess iron in the blood and limb reattachment). Scientists have figured out how to more directly aid the body’s stress response, so draining blood to induce stress isn’t necessary anymore.
Report comment