Before all these surgical procedures came out?
Re: How did people fix problems like appendicitis and kidney stones back in the day?
Many/most times people died. Even as late as the 70s and 80s...people died of these easily addressable things.
Appendicitus seems like a bad stomach flu or constipation and if not discovered soon enough, it bursts and the person dies of septicemia.
Kidney stones are a bit easier. The pain can be a real killer but once the stone passes, the person gets better.
There are other various and insidious things that are medically addressable/curable...like what my son endured with his aversion to eating. He had untreated reflux and a number of other GI issues that made eating an unpleasant and even painful experience for him. When I took him to the top hospital in the US for diagnosis and treatment, they told me that children used to actually die of starvation and there are mother in jail for starving their children.
Sad. Yet every day things get better, more knowledge is obtained and put to good use. May this continue!
Barley water and beer were used to treat stones..