In the 19th century what did women use for menstruation?

Were there ancient maxi pads and tampons back then. When did the tampon first come of use. What about during Queen Elizabeth I's time. How did they deal with menstruation? The movies make these women's lives seems as if they all suffered from amenorrhea. What's the truth?

they used cloth woven into thick layers. these were replaced as
needed and washed, for further use. as for tampons,they were introduced in the united states around the late 1920's or early
1930's. i believe, that they were not out in the public during their
menstrual period as much as usual. it was and still is a very
personal part of a woman's life. we don't go around announcing
that we are on our period.

cherokee hair tampons...

they used an ear of corn maybe some pinecones

Cloth

Rags! That's why they call it "on the rag"!!

torn rags or big leaves

Whatever they could. There has always been something that took the place of what we now call feminine napkins.

Rags or cloths, pinned into their undergarments with safety pins (once those were invented) or somehow wrapped and tied, like a diaper.

Someone asked the question a bit earlier today (a few hours). Search for menstral and see if you find what everyone said

they made there own pads out of cloth and rags that is where the saying on the rag comes from

They used washable pads and a belt to hold it all in place.
http://www.mum.org/olnws262.htm

Before there were maxi pads as we know them (ask your grandma) they wore a belt with a pad in it (before good adhesives allowed you to stick them in your panties. Before then, they used rags and cotton to absorb the flow, and they wore layers and layers of clothes - so you wouldn't have seen it soaking through clothing. Women were also not as active as we are today, and didn't comingle with men like we do today, so their monthly cycle was more or less kept a secret and not spoken of in proper conversation.