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Bloodletting has been practiced for over 3,000 years — but how did it go from a common cure to a cautionary tale in medical history?

In this episode, we explore the origins of bloodletting in Ancient Egypt, where illness was believed to have both spiritual and physical causes. We unpack the influence of Hippocrates and his theory of the four humors, and how Galen helped popularize bloodletting as a standard treatment for centuries. From medieval barber surgeons to the aggressive overuse that harmed patients, we trace how the practice evolved — and why it persisted for so long.

We also look at how bloodletting survives today in the form of therapeutic phlebotomy and the controlled use of medicinal leeches, highlighting how modern medicine differs from its historical roots.

Remember, main episodes drop on Mondays, and companion case files drop Fridays. Thanks for listening!

📚 References

1. Zubair A. Therapeutic phlebotomy. Clin Liver Dis. 2014;4(5):102-106. Published online 2014. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6448745/
2. Ascensao A, Moreira R, Gomes R, et al. Clinical applications of therapeutic phlebotomy. Accessed https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4957680/
3. Blood and the cells it contains. In: Blood Groups and Red Cell Antigens. National Center for Biotechnology Information Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2263/
4. Whitaker IS, Izadi D, Vanek PF, et al. European medicinal leeches—new roles in modern medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7277884/
5. Greenstone G. The history of bloodletting. BCMJ. 2010;52(1):12-14. https://bcmj.org/premise/history-bloodletting
6. Hemochromatosis. In: StatPearls. National Center for Biotechnology Information Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430862/
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