On several occasions, particularly on the periphery of the Habsburg Empire during the 17th and 18th centuries, dead people were suspected of being revenants or vampires, and consequently dug up and destroyed. Some contemporary authors named this phenomenon Magia Posthuma. This blog is dedicated to understanding what happened and why.
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Bloodsucker in action
I have written a bit on the type of leeches whose Latin name, sanguisuga, was used for vampires in the 18th century as well. Their use for medicial purposes, bloodletting, is well-known. During most of August it is possible to see a bloodsucking leech in action, sucking the human blood of the TV host in a program from Swedish television. I should warn that it is in Swedish only, but also that it can be a bit unpleasant to watch, as it becomes pretty bloody when the leech stops sucking blood. But for those interested in seeing a real life bloodsucker at work, here is your chance. (The program also contains some shorter segments on other stuff, including a Swedish lady who loves sharks!)
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