What Was Bloodletting?
Bloodletting is the term used to describe the removal of blood for medical treatment. Doctors in the olden days believed that it helped remove impure fluids in the blood and cure a wide variety of diseases. Bloodletting originally involved cutting a vein or artery usually at the knee or elbow, to remove the affected blood. Over time, certain techniques and instruments, info using the use of leeches were created to make more accurate cuts and control blood loss.
Blood was usually drained until you passed out, which for most people may amount to about 20 ounces of blood.