Don't Look Now
What could an Engineer and an Archaeologist have to talk about? Listen to us discuss history, mysteries, science, culture and art. The world is vast and episode by episode we learn about the way the world works.
Don't Look Now
318 - The Origin of the Snake Oil Salesman
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Jeni McDonald and Will Hageman
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Season 1
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Episode 318
Ever wondered why a worthless item being sold as a miracle cure is referred to as Snake Oil? Like just about everything else in Modern America is dates back to the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Clark Stanley sold snake oil to relieve aches and pains. The amazing thing is that Snake Oil really can help with these issues, unfortunately Snake Oil is something the Snake Oil salesman wasn't actually selling. His concoction was full of things like turpentine mineral oil, defrauding people and resulting in Snake Oil becoming the common term for a patent medicine con. Take a listen to his story this week and a few other choice con artists from the past who sold everything from psychic visions to the Eiffel Tower (twice).