Leeches :: essays research papers

LeechesThe leech is a segmented worm that in in all actuallity has a very vivid life. From being used by doctors to barely being blood-sucking parasites, the leech is a true wonder of the mind.The leech has a series of ring-like segments that make up its bodystructure. They maybe from 2 to 20 centimeters long and have the ability toshorten or leng then their bodies. They loosely come in colors of black, redor brown, almosttimes with banding or spots. They are extremely sensitive to touch, temperatue, and drying out. Also, they have clusters of cells on the crusade end thatare light-sensative, almost like eyes. Leeches usually live in dark, bust areas such as the bottoms of lakes, jungels, or shallow streams.Finally, the leech is a Hermaphrodit, containing bot mannish and female sexualreproductive organs.With a sucker at both ends of its body, the leech usually lives as a parasite, feeding upon the blood and thread of other animals, or on decayingplant and animal materials. I t has a let the cat out of the bag centered on the front sucker withteeth in some cases. Leeches, that are parasites, attach to their victim with thefront sucker, create a wound, then suck out blood with, usually, both suckers.Blood-sucking leeches give out a liquid substance called Hirudin. This chemical prevents the blood from thickening and enables the blood to be easily sucked by the leech.Doctors once used leeches, or what they called medicinal leeches, to use up blood from patients in an orderly manner. The first clinical use of leeches in this fashion occured approximatly 2,500 years ago. Since the leeches bite produces a small cleeding wound ,that mimics a venous circulation in an area of compromised tissue, the leech is particlarly valuable for reconstruction surgery. supernumerary properties of the bite, such as the chemical hirudin, allow continued bleeding for up to 48 hours after the leech