Latest news with #TheVampireChronicles
Irish Examiner
19-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Richard Collins: Leeches suck — which can be handy at times
We are the things that others fear — Anne Rice, The Vampire Chronicles Napoleon was 'a martyr to the piles'. Swollen veins in his 'back-passage' may have denied him victory at Waterloo 210 years ago this month. Martyn Linnie, in his Unnatural History of Animals , just published, devotes a chapter to the great emperor's anal challenge... and the creepy-crawlies which supported him on the fateful day. Bonaparte delayed the start of the famous battle. Hostilities should have commenced at 6am but it was almost noon when they got underway. Was the Emperor waiting for the weather to improve, or did he just feel unwell? He had suffered a severe attack of piles the previous day. Did thrombosed haemorrhoids render mounting his horse too painful? Was he therefore unable to ride out and study the lie of the land as he always did prior to a battle? It was believed, back then, that illness resulted from imbalances in the body's 'humours'. Blood levels had to be kept in harmony with those of the other bodily fluids. To restore equilibrium a patient was 'bled'. Although this had been an accepted medical technique for 2,000 years, it usually did more harm than good. Blood-flow could be difficult to control during, or following, surgery. Using leeches to suck out blood reduced the risk of haemorrhage. His military surgeon thought that the swelling in the great man's rectal veins needed to be reduced, so an emergency response team of crack medicinal leeches was called in. Twenty-five of the saviours were applied to the imperial perineum on the day preceding the battle. The leech, related to the earthworm, has a sucker at its rear end with which it propels itself through water and locks onto a host. The proboscis, up front, has sharp tooth-like appendages, which seek out exposed flesh and make an incision. A Dracula-style blood-sucking orgy follows. Leech saliva contains anaesthetics, anticoagulants and substances to increase blood-flow. The parasite can stay in place for days in a passionate embrace with its host, gorging itself until its swollen body can't take in any more. Trekking in the jungles of Borneo, many years ago, I tried exchanging body fluids with a leech. These blood-suckers were a notorious pest there. Oddly, however, none of them latched on to my calves or thighs. Prime Irish blood, it seemed, was not to their liking. I put one of them on the soft underside of my arm, hoping to see it perform. But, alas, to no avail — 'he was despised, despised and rejected'. There are many species of leech. Had I picked a benign one? The Unnatural History of Animals: Tales from a Zoological Museum by Martyn Linnie Ireland, according to Dr Martyn Linnie, was the first country in Europe in which, through over-exploitation, the medicinal leech became extinct. We still have another dozen or so freshwater species here and some salt-water ones as well. None is harmful to humans. Leeches, with their rich biochemical armoury, still play a role in surgery. A protected species in Europe, they are reared now on leech farms. If Napoleon had won the crucial battle, would we be celebrating the pivotal contribution a humble creepy-crawly made to European history?
See - Sada Elbalad
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
"Interview With the Vampire" Season 3 Gets a Release Window
Yara Sameh "Interview with the Vampire" remains one of AMC's most noteworthy shows of all time, not only among fans but also with critics. The vampire drama last aired on June 30, 2024, with its epic Season 2 finale that left fans immediately hungry for more episodes, fortunately, the wait for the new season will not be long as AMC just confirmed the release window for the next chapter while also dropping a thrilling production update via TV Insider . "Interview with the Vampire" will return in 2026 with Season 3, which will see Lestat (Sam Reid) in his rockstar era going on tour. Production on the season is set to take place later this year in Canada, according to Reid and executive producer Mark Johnson's statement during the Deadline Contenders FYC event. Johnson said: 'The writers are busy working away, meaning Rolin has no time to himself right now. We are going to be shooting in Toronto, of all places, later in the year, not too far away.' While no official premiere date has been set yet for Season 3 of the "Interview with the Vampire", fans still have an idea about what's next for the ever-toxic Lestat, who 'sets his story straight by starting a band and going on tour.' The installment will be an adaptation of Anne Rice's second book in The Vampire Chronicles series, The Vampire Lestat and in it, Lestat turns himself into a rockstar to use his fame to respond to Louis' interview with Molloy, which resulted in a hit book. In addition to the premiere window, AMC unveiled their plans to bring a bit of Lestat's highly anticipated tour to life ahead of Interview with the Vampire's return. As the fan-favorite character embarks on the tour, the network will bring advertisers with him and invites partners to join in the fun via a statement that reads: 'Content Room is inviting partners to hit the road with Rockstar Lestat for a Season 3 promotional tour including a variety of stops. This 'Backstage Pass' offering will integrate advertisers across all touchpoints of the tour — from in-show, on-ground and through custom media campaigns. Kicking off later this year, opportunities include first look 'soundchecks' of the new season, shoppable co-branded consumer products in a Rock Shop merch store, and in-world integrated content.' "Interview with the Vampire" was renewed for a third season in June 2024, with Reid and Jacob Anderson confirmed to reprise their roles as Lestat and Louis, respectively. Eric Bogosian and Assad Zaman are expected to return as Daniel Molloy and Armand. The bingeworthy gothic horror resumes in 2026 with new episodes. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Arts & Culture Arwa Gouda Gets Married (Photos)
