Leeches Collection

Bloodletting
Circa 1624, A doctor applies leeches to the back of a female patient as a means of letting blood. Original Publication: From a Dutch print. (Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)

Dr. Merryweathers Tempest Prognosticator
Featured in the Great Exhibition of 1851, Dr. Merryweather of Whitbys Tempest Prognosticator was designed to warn of approaching storms

Women colecting leeches for medicinal purposes. From George Walker The Costume of Yorkshire, Leeds, 1814
527494 Women colecting leeches for medicinal purposes. From George Walker The Costume of Yorkshire, Leeds, 1814.; Universal History Archive/UIG.

Le Terrible Régisseur, 1864. Creator: Honore Daumier
Le Terrible Regisseur, 1864. The scary stage manager. - Comment vous me dites que vous avez manque la repetition au jour d'hui parceque vous avez pose des sangsues a votre mere?

Mon cher je t'assure que je te... 1845. Creator: Honore Daumier
Mon cher je t'assure que je te... 1845. Mon cher je t'assure que je te trouve mauvaise mine ce matin....ce n'est pas en medecin que je te parle

Fish leech and freshwater leeches: Branchiobdellida 1, Pontobdella spinosa 2, Whitmania laevis 3, Hirudo vittata 4, Piscicola geometra 5, Ichthyobdella geometra 5, Geobdella trochetii 6

Black leech, horse leech, etc
Common black leech, Hirudo verbana, var. nigra. 1, horse leech, Haemopis sanguisuga 2, Nile leech, Limnatis nilotica 3, medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis. 4

Sport in Ceylon, the First Snipe of the Season (engraving)
1056654 Sport in Ceylon, the First Snipe of the Season (engraving) by Ralston, William (1848-1911) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sport in Ceylon, the First Snipe of the Season)

Leeches, 1863-79 (colour litho)
1001433 Leeches, 1863-79 (colour litho) by Petraroja, Raimundo (fl.1863-79); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Atlante zoologico popolare)

Leech Finders, from Costume of Yorkshire engraved by Robert Havell (1769-1832
STC76049 Leech Finders, from Costume of Yorkshire engraved by Robert Havell (1769-1832) 1814 (colour litho) by Walker, George (fl.1803-15) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Intrigue, plate 10 from The Necessary Qualifications of a Man of Fashion
STC192033 Intrigue, plate 10 from The Necessary Qualifications of a Man of Fashion, published 1823 (hand coloured aquatint) by Egerton

F. 27v Leeching, from Traite de Medecine by Aldebrande de Florence
XIR175907 F.27v Leeching, from Traite de Medecine by Aldebrande de Florence, 1356 (vellum) by French School, (14th century); Biblioteca del Palacio Nacional de Ajuda, Lisbon, Portugal; French

John Wilkes, Ancient Family of Leeches, c. 1769 (bronze)
2959915 John Wilkes, Ancient Family of Leeches, c.1769 (bronze) by English School, (18th century); Timothy Millett Collection; (add.info.: John Wilkes (17 October 1725 - 26 December 1797)

Peches Extraordinaires (engraving)
2783131 Peches Extraordinaires (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Peches Extraordinaires)

Leech jar (ceramic)
RNM286366 Leech jar (ceramic) by English School, (19th century); National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK; eNational Museum of the Royal Navy; English, out of copyright

Leech, 1833-39 (coloured engraving)
999266 Leech, 1833-39 (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Dictionnaire pittoresque d histoire naturelle et des phenomAnes de la natureA, 1833-39)

The Leech Doctors, caricature from Les Metamorphoses du Jour
CHT221316 The Leech Doctors, caricature from Les Metamorphoses du Jour, 1854 (coloured engraving) by Grandville (Jean Ignace Isidore Gerard) (1803-47); Bibliotheque des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

How to cure illnesses, from Tractatus de Pestilencia (vellum)
XIR125466 How to cure illnesses, from Tractatus de Pestilencia (vellum) by Czech School, (15th century); National University Library, Prague, Czech Republic; Czech, out of copyright

A Strike of Leeches (colour litho)
964667 A Strike of Leeches (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Strike of Leeches. From Truth, 25 December 1913.); © Look and Learn

Tiger Leech / Painted Leech on a leaf, typical in lowland rainforest of Kinabatangan river floodplain (Haemadipsa picta). Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia; June

Medical leeches for sale in Indonesia C015 / 3539
Close up of medicinal leeches in jars for sale on the island of Tenate, Halmahera, Maluku Islands, Indonesia

Fish Leech feeding on goldfish
BB-1326 Fish Leech feeding on goldfish Piscicola geometra Brian Bevan Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way

Medium group of leeches, illustration
Zoology - Annelida - Medium group of leeches, illustration

Tiger Leeches / Painted Leech on leaves of low vegetation, typical in lowland rainforest of Kinabatangan river floodplain (Haemadipsa picta). Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia; June

Medicinal leech
Two medicinal leeches(Hirodu medicinalis)in their natural habitat, and a diagram showing leeches in various stages of development

Street Dealers in Leeches - Thessaloniki, Greece Date: circa 1916

Picture No. 10900703
Tiger Leech (Haemadipsa picta) Date:

Crustacea: Turtle soup: Pearl diving: Catching turtles: Leeches: Tooth powder: Pearl buttons: Crab pots: Shrimpers: Cowrie shell money: Sepia: Tortoiseshell

Leeches jar, 19th century C017 / 3566
Leeches jar made from Staffordshire pottery (England) dating from around 1830. The main jar is cream coloured with red decorations

Artificial leech and syringes, circa 1840 C017 / 3582
Artificial leech with two syringes, patented by Baron Heurteloup. Artificial leeches were a mechanical instrument which superseded the use of real leaches in the practice of bloodletting which

Glass leech tube, 19th century C017 / 3577
Glass leech tube dating from around the year 1850, England. This would have been used for applying leeches (a type of worm) to skin

Leeches jar, 19th century C017 / 3551
Creamware leaches jar with gilt decoration, dating from around 1800. Creamware is a refined earthenware finished with a cream coloured glaze

Pewter leeches container, 19th century C017 / 3579
French pewter leeches container, dating from around the year 1820. Leeches (a type of worm) were used in medicine during this period as a method of bloodletting

Nurse with a jar of medicinal leeches C018 / 2317
Medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) in a tank of water. Leeches are parasites that feed on blood. They attach themselves to the skin using suckers and create a wound with three sharp jaw plates

Medicinal leeches C013 / 6001
Medicinal leeches. Pharmacist holding a jar containing live leeches. Leeches are parasites that feed on blood. Their saliva contains hirudin, a chemical that prevents blood from clotting

Leech (Hirudinea sp. ) adult, parasitizing Atlantic Stream Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) underwater, Italy
Leech (Hirudinea sp.) adult, parasitizing Atlantic Stream Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) underwater, Italy

Leech - on the underside of a lily leaf - Wiltshire - England - UK
DK-351 Leech - on the underside of a lily leaf Wiltshire - England - UK David Kilbey Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way

Tiger Leech - Danum Valley Conservation Area - Sabah - Borneo - Malaysia
MAR-962 Tiger Leech Danum Valley Conservation Area - Sabah - Borneo - Malaysia Haemadipsa picta Thomas Marent Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only

Medicinal Leech
BB-539 Medicinal Leech Hirudo medicinalis Brian Bevan Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way

Tiger Leeches / Painted Leech on leaves of low vegetation, typical in lowland rainforest of Kinabatangan river
ANZ-1057 Tiger Leeches / Painted Leech on leaves of low vegetation, typical in lowland rainforest of Kinabatangan river floodplain Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia; June

Tiger Leech / Painted Leech on a leaf, typical in lowland rainforest of Kinabatangan river floodplain; Sabah, Borneo
ANZ-1056 Tiger Leech / Painted Leech on a leaf, typical in lowland rainforest of Kinabatangan river floodplain Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia; June

Letting with Leeches
A seated gentleman and a riders steed take benefit of blood letting, courtesy of some water-bound leeches

Gathering Leeches 1820
Women gathering leeches

Blood Letting with Leech
Blood letting with leeches

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"Unveiling the Enigmatic World of Leeches: From Bloodletting to Breathtaking Beauty" Step into the realm of leeches, where science and art intertwine in a captivating dance. Dr. Merryweather's Tempest Prognosticator may have predicted storms, but these fascinating creatures have been capturing human attention for centuries. In ancient times, bloodletting was considered a cure-all remedy, and leeches played a significant role in this practice. These slimy yet remarkable beings were employed as instruments of healing, extracting vital fluids from patients' bodies to restore balance and well-being. But beyond their medicinal significance lies an astonishing variety of leech species that inhabit our world. From fish leeches lurking beneath tranquil waters to freshwater leeches thriving in diverse ecosystems they can nature's enigma waiting to be discovered. Imagine encountering a black leech or horse leech with its velvety body gliding through murky depths or witnessing the vibrant hues of a tiger or painted leech resting delicately on a leaf – truly emblematic sights that showcase Mother Nature's artistic prowess. Leeches even found their way into various forms of human expression throughout history. In Ceylon, they became part of sport and leisure activities like "The First Snipe of the Season, " immortalized in intricate engravings that captured both man's fascination with hunting and his connection with these curious creatures. Artists like Robert Havell brought forth the allure of finding leeches through his detailed illustrations in "Costume of Yorkshire, " revealing how people engaged with them during their search for medical remedies or simply out of intrigue. Even literature embraced the mystique surrounding these captivating organisms; Aldebrande de Florence depicted scenes depicting "Leeching" within his renowned work "Traite de Medecine. " Meanwhile, John Wilkes celebrated their ancient lineage through bronze sculptures titled "Ancient Family of Leeches, " showcasing the enduring fascination with these creatures.