How did women in the old days (medieval, Victorian) deal with their period?

Question

I doubt they had tampons or pads, and I also doubt they would have just bled all over themselves (well, maybe in the medieval days, but probably not later). How did they take care of it? Or even 100 or even just 50 years ago? How long have disposable "feminine hygiene" products been around?

Answer 1

In ancient days women were considered unclean, and they had to leave and go to a designated place until their period was over. In Medieval times there was a lot of superstition regarding the period like it was evil or a curse, and in Victorian times, it just wasn't there. Nobody would ever talk about it and acted as if it didn't happen. I don't know how they survived without tampons, I really don't, but cotton cloths were used and then later boiled clean (I don't know how they survived without diapers either! Can you imagine washing dirty diapers for four years straight?)

Answer 2

Victorian Sanitary Towels

Answer 3

Does the phrase "On the Rag" ring a bell?
Women literally used fur or rags from the dawn of time until the invention of the sanitary napkins in the early part of the 20th century. Tampons came a little later--around WWII, I think. What a relief!
I still think that there should be an OFF button for when we get ready to stop our fertility.

Answer 4

The women used a towel or small cloths and washed them out because cloth was a precious commodity,and was expensive.Victorian times they used the same but added a cotton type material.In the jungle climates women used grasses and reeds to keep clean.They were also shunned by the men and religious leaders for centuries,they we not allowed to be at home,they were banished to a hut where all menstruating and those who had given birth had to stay secluded until they were declared "pure" to return to the family home etc.These practices are still around especially Africa and the Middle East. Take care. SW RNP

Answer 5

Rags and cloth were used it sounds very un hygienic but there was nothing else ,thank god for tampons.In answer to 'How long have disposable "feminine hygiene" products been around?

Mimosept was introduced in the 1940s this was the first disposable sanitary protection ,although few women could afford it .Nothing much changed until the very late 60'sor even the early 70's .

To smylie you lived up to your name because you certainly made me smile,in the late sixties we were still using little belts with hooks on they were called sanitary belts and the pads were called Dr Whites or if you were lucky enough,and could afford them Kotex which had a protective blue plastic strip running down the middle.

Answer 6

By using rags. Hence the slang of "being on the rag" for describing when a girl has her period.

Answer 7

In the 1800's they used rags, and when they got their period they didn't go out much! This is where the saying "I've got my rag" comes from. In the early 1900's they used these huge wads of towel or fabric that were fastened using a garter type of mechanism. Tampons are a relatively new invention and were not used much in the 50's and 60's cause people thought it made you lose your virginity! We've come a long way baby!

Answer 8

In Hawaii, the women would travel far to a sacred spot and squat over a hole for the week.

Answer 9

dont you think you would get better answers by googling that kind of historical info? i know that in victorian times they just used towels and things like that.

Answer 10

piece of clothing ,with a sponge on it maybe to soak up the bld..
it cld be quite messy and smelly i suppose..a red flag day for women of that age...