Before tampons and sticky pads???👵

Back in the day before there were tampons and period pads what did the women do for periods esp heavy periods? What was the day in and day out process? I get really heavy periods and I was thinking to myself how hard it would to keep up with a rag all day and then if I had to wash it and hang dry them all on a clothes line in front of everyone and they would be all stained. Anyways has anyone’s great grandma or grandma told them what they did way back when?