The Beard That Wasn't: Abe Lincoln's Whiskers

I wear one. I'd never hear the term "wreath beard" before reading this article. Terms I've seen for it are: tauferbard[1], chin curtain, donegal, lincoln[2], alaskan whaler[3], shenandoah, and spade beard[4].

[1]http://earofthesoul.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-spiritual-journe... [2]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chin_curtain [3]https://www.facebook.com/TheAlaskanWhaler [4]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenandoah_%28beard%29

Lincoln may also have grown the beard to disguise the fact he was losing weight -- which had started several months before the beard appeared and continued throughout his Presidency. (Sorry, I'm not going to call it whiskers.) Recall that thinness was not favorably viewed in 1800s America.

Lincoln's weight loss is explained by the genetic cancer syndrome MEN2B (multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B) for which there is a great deal of evidence.

http://www.physical-lincoln.com/cancer.html