1.carnivorous or bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worms typically having a sucker at each end
2.a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
1.draw blood;
In the old days, doctors routinely bled patients as part of the treatment
leech,水蛭的英文學(xué)名。蛭綱環(huán)節(jié)動(dòng)物的統(tǒng)稱,約300種。一般來(lái)說(shuō),水蛭前端有較小的口吸盤,后端有較大的后吸盤。體長(zhǎng)不一,有的極小,有的長(zhǎng)約20厘米。主要見于淡水或陸地。有的捕食其他動(dòng)物,有的以有機(jī)物碎屑為食,也有寄生者。水蛭吸食魚、兩棲類、鳥和哺乳類的血液,或取食螺類、昆蟲幼蟲和蠕蟲。真正的陸蛭則只吸哺乳類血液。唾液中含麻醉傷口、擴(kuò)張血管和抗凝血的物質(zhì)。有的種類被醫(yī)生用作替病人放血已有幾個(gè)世紀(jì)。由歐洲醫(yī)蛭提取的水蛭素已在醫(yī)學(xué)上作為抗凝血?jiǎng)?/p>