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Talk7 min

Why was bloodletting so popular?

Stephanie Honchell Smith · TED

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About

Bloodletting was a pervasive medical practice that dates as far back as ancient Greece and continued well into the 19th century. Physicians like Hippocrates believed bad health could be attributed to a fluid imbalance, and recommended bloodletting to help reset the body's balance. So, why did bloodletting stick around so long? Stephanie Honchell Smith digs into its popularity and shortcomings. [Directed by Denys Spolitak, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Cem Misirlioglu, WORKPLAYWORK].

The talk

  1. Why was bloodletting so popular? 7 min · TED's player

Credits and licence

Institution
TED
Department
TED-Ed
Speaker
Stephanie Honchell Smith
Year
2025
Level
For everyone
Language
English
Subjects
Medicine and health, History, Teaching and learning
Source
TED
Licence
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, as TED states it. Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions. TED's terms
Attribution
TED Talks are licensed by TED under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 International and are shown here in TED's own player, as TED's usage policy asks.
Who can watch
TED gives no rating. Invisible Network shows it to Teens profiles and older, judged from what the source says about it. How courses are placed