Although bloodletting was eventually seen as harmful, it is still used to treat a few conditions like hemochromatosis. Still, the practice evolved over time into modern-day phlebotomy, which uses a small surgical puncture to withdraw blood or introduce fluids. Phlebotomy is used every day to diagnose health problems and introduce medication intravenously. It's also used in life saving procedures like blood transfusions. Today, trained professionals called phlebotomists withdraw blood in clinics and hospitals all over the world.
The history of phlebotomy is an interesting story and has given modern medicine an invaluable tool to diagnose and treat illnesses. While earlier people thought bloodletting itself was healing, today phlebotomists withdraw blood to use in transfusions and life-saving tests. It's become a staple of modern medicine and finds its origin in the ancient bloodletting procedures of ancient cultures.
