Today, if an electronic device such as a computer gets stuck, we say "turn it off and on again, and that should solve the problem." Bloodletting has historically filled much the same function. If you didn't know what was wrong with an animal or a human, just remove a great quantity of its blood! The fleam was most often used on animals. The triangular-shaped blades were designed to be placed over the vein (most commonly the jugular or saphenous) and struck with a fleam stick. Once the desired amount of blood had been let out, the small incision could be stitched up. Anesthetic? Not likely!