Ashbery76 wrote:The biggest question is why did all these folk think mustaches looked good in this era?
Most people are aware of how Fleming discovered penincillin, ie bread mold accidentally contaminating (and killing) a bacteria culture. The next part of the story is interesting as it relates to facial hair.
After publishing his results in 1928, Fleming began the slow process of producing and collecting penincillin. One day he received a call from the local hospital. They had admitted a policeman who had cut himself shaving and the wound had become infected. The hospital wondered if Fleming's new fangled medicine could help. Fleming gathered up all of his supply and rushed to the hospital. At first the penincilin was effective, but when the supply ran out, the infection flared back and the man died. However, the procedure showed that with sufficient supply on hand, penicillin could be an effective agent in fighting infection.
I have remembered this story for a long time as the bottom line is that the policeman died after cutting himself while shaving.