As the title states, I'd imagine it must have been horrible to deal with(not to say it isn't now).
Luckily for you, the subreddit has a special FAQ section about menstruation featuring eloquent answers by /u/mimicofmodes (also known as chocolatepot)and /u/Gorrest-Fump and others.
/u/caffarelli has previously addressed menstruation while traveling in days gone by.
You might be interested in a previous comment of mine about menstruation in Heian Japan.