What made people think bleeding was an effective treatment for illness?

Bloodletting was a common practice in medicine for centuries, and was based on the belief that illness was caused by an imbalance of the four humors: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. According to this theory, an excess of blood could lead to a variety of health problems, including fever, inflammation, and pain. By removing blood from the body, it was thought that the imbalance could be corrected and the illness cured.

The practice of bloodletting dates back to ancient Greece and Egypt, and was widely practiced in Europe until the 19th century. It was often used to treat a variety of conditions, including headaches, fevers, and even mental illness. In some cases, bloodletting was even used as a preventative measure, to maintain good health and prevent illness from occurring.

There were a number of different methods used for bloodletting, including venesection, leeching, and cupping. Venesection was the most common method, and involved cutting a vein in the arm or leg and allowing the blood to flow out. Leeches were also used to draw blood, and were applied to the skin and allowed to suck blood until they were full. Cupping involved placing heated cups on the skin, which created a vacuum that drew blood to the surface.

While bloodletting was once a common practice, it is now recognized as being ineffective and harmful. In fact, bloodletting can actually worsen some medical conditions, and can lead to serious complications such as anemia, infection, and even death. Today, bloodletting is only used in very rare cases, such as when a person has too much iron in their blood.