Definition
Venesection, also known as bloodletting, is the practice of drawing blood from a vein for therapeutic purposes. Think of it like draining excess fluid from a balloon to relieve pressure🎈. Historically, it was used to treat a wide range of illnesses, based on the now-discredited belief that disease was caused by an imbalance of humors. Today, it's rarely used, except in specific conditions like hemochromatosis (excess iron) or polycythemia vera (excess red blood cells). It is a historical procedure with limited modern applications.