Staffordshire leech jar

Leeches--Equipment and supplies

Phlebotomy--Equipment and supplies

Leeches

Leeching--instrumentation

Bloodletting—instrumentation

Receptacles

Used to store leeches used in bloodletting

English ceramic covered jar with pale blue ground, navy blue and gold painted details, and double handles.

A decorative ceramic leech jar with a rounded body and pedestal base is shown against a plain background. The white glazed surface is embellished with blue and gold painted scrollwork and the word “LEECHES” prominently displayed on the front. Two curved side handles extend from the body, and the domed lid is perforated with small holes to allow air circulation. Such jars were historically used in medical settings to store live leeches for therapeutic bloodletting.

Health Sciences Library

State University of New York at Buffalo

1840?

Cravens, Annette

NO COPYRIGHT – UNITED STATES. The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. Contact the History of Medicine Collection with questions.

25.4 cm.

Medical instrument

Image

Still image

89.10.2

LIB-HSL001

Leech jar

9/14/2004

Glass