Being a modern wet shaver and having a plethora of options regarding blades, soaps, creams, razors, etc. is what makes this hobby of ours great. Having nearly a limitless supply of fresh, clean water that can have the temperature dialed in with the twist of the wrist, is another modern shaving luxury that I so often take for granted. That got me thinking - how did people in our great-great grandfathers' day manage to not get horrendous infections every time they shaved? I know they didn't have access to the sanitation practices we have today, but I would have thought there would have been a ton of stories of horrific MRSA or Staph infections from back in the day. I can only imagine what bacteria or microbes lurked in the pail of water they hauled up from the pond or creek, only to be used for bathing, drinking, or washing. Considering we do get micro-cuts and abrasions every time we shave, how were these not open pathways for bacteria? I know they boiled a lot of their water for consumption, but did they also boil their shaving water? Was there anything that acted like an antiseptic aftershave in their day? Just a random, mid-day thought.
Personally, I have accepted the theory that we have become so obsessed with avoiding germs and bacteria that we are far less immune than people were in the past. People in less sanitized areas survive diseases that would cause great harm to those of us living in the United States and similar types of environments. Sent via mobile - Chris
Boiling water, a steamy hot towel left on the face to prepare for the shave. Seems like a standard procedure that hasn't left the scene. Except for those that have found they prefer a cool or cold water shave. The idea of miasmas or bad smells causing disease may have inadvertently lead to using plant extracts and perfumes. Those tend to contain alcohol so without knowing it our ancestors did disinfect.
Alcohol based aftershave splash & alum block are both are mild antiseptics, and professional barbers have been using both for ages. At the turn of the century when the saftey razor became prevalent that's how aftershaves were marketed.
Original formula Listerine can still be used as an aftershave. They didn't change the formula, only the marketing. It's not the most pleasant aftershave to use, scent wise, but it does work. Edit: The blue and green Listerines dry sticky/tacky, where the amber does not. Don't ask me how I know. Lol
As for the OP's question, blades were dipped in alcohol to keep them from rusting, which I'm sure also contributed to a sanitary shave. People did die, though. Sepsis from infected nicks, tetanus, and anthrax infested brushes claimed many lives. Edit: luckily, the widespread adoption of shaving occured at roughly the same time as the widespread use of penicillin.
+1. Our pediatrician always told the wife and I to let the kids get dirty, not to keep 'em in a bubble. So bath time was always a major undertaking.
Also as far as water goes, out in the wild the streams were not polluted and their use was an everyday occurrence.