Snake Oil: How a Real Cure Became a Scam

If someone calls you a “snake oil salesman” today, it’s not a compliment—it’s an accusation of fraud and empty promises. But the real history of snake oil is far more complicated. Long before it became synonymous with deception, snake oil was a legitimate treatment brought to the U.S. by Chinese immigrants in the 19th century. However, when American con men got involved, the cure turned into a well-marketed hoax.

One man, in particular, capitalized on this deception—Clark Stanley, the self-proclaimed “Rattlesnake King.” He wowed crowds with theatrical displays of butchering live snakes and boiling them into his so-called “miracle cure.” But when the government finally tested his product, they found no trace of snake oil at all.

So, how did a once-effective treatment become one of history’s biggest medical frauds? Let’s dive into the bizarre story of snake oil and the con men who sold it.

The Origins: A Genuine Cure from China

The real snake oil originated in China, where traditional medicine had long used oil extracted from Chinese water snakes to treat joint pain and inflammation. These snakes contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, making their oil an effective anti-inflammatory treatment.

When Chinese laborers immigrated to the U.S. in the mid-19th century, many worked on the Transcontinental Railroad—a grueling job that left them with sore muscles and aching joints. They brought snake oil with them as a remedy, rubbing it on their stiff limbs and joints to ease the pain.

The treatment worked—but American scammers saw an opportunity.

Clark Stanley: The Rattlesnake King

In 1893, at the Chicago World’s Fair, a man named Clark Stanley put on a show that made him famous.

His pitch? He had learned the “secrets” of snake oil from Hopi medicine men in Arizona. To prove his point, he pulled a live rattlesnake from a bag, sliced it open in front of the audience, and threw it into boiling water. He then skimmed fat from the surface and claimed it was the key ingredient in his brand-new miracle cure—Clark Stanley’s Snake Oil Liniment.

Spectators were mesmerized, and the bottles sold out instantly.

Stanley’s product promised to relieve pain, cure arthritis, treat bites and stings, and even heal lame horses. He quickly expanded, opening production facilities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, boasting that he owned a Texas snake farm to supply ingredients.

There was just one problem—there was no real snake oil in his medicine.

The Truth Behind Stanley’s “Medicine”

While genuine Chinese snake oil contained up to 20% omega-3 fatty acids, the oil from American rattlesnakes contained only 8%—making it far less effective. But Stanley wasn’t even using rattlesnake oil at all.

When federal investigators tested his liniment in 1917, they discovered that Clark Stanley’s Snake Oil contained zero snake oil. Instead, it was made from:

Mineral oil (a petroleum byproduct)
Beef fat (cheap and widely available)
Red pepper (to create a warming sensation)
Turpentine (a common ingredient in early pain relief balms)

The so-called miracle cure was nothing more than a mix of cheap, everyday ingredients.

For misleading consumers, Stanley was fined just $20—the equivalent of around $550 today. He quickly faded from public life, but the damage was done. The phrase “snake oil salesman” became shorthand for fraud and deception.

How a Real Cure Became a Scam

By the early 20th century, America was flooded with “miracle cures” and “patent medicines.” These unregulated treatments often contained alcohol, opium, or cocaine—giving users a temporary feeling of relief but doing nothing to actually cure their ailments.

With the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, the U.S. government finally cracked down on fraudulent medicines. But the reputation of snake oil never recovered. Instead of being remembered as an effective Chinese remedy, it became a symbol of medical fraud—thanks to men like Clark Stanley.

Today, the term “snake oil salesman” is still used to describe deceptive marketing, fake health products, and empty promises. Ironically, modern studies show that real Chinese snake oil was actually effective. But because of greed, showmanship, and outright fraud, history remembers the scam, not the cure.

Don’t forget to tune in…

If you’ve enjoyed this article, there are also articles on The History of Cocoa-Cola: Morphine, Santa Clause and the Nazis and Elizabeth Holmes: The Medical Con Who Fooled Silicon Valley.

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Thank you for joining me this week as I explore some great historic hoaxes, hustles and half-truths.

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Until next time, keep your curiosity alive and your imagination ignited— and as always, keep the past alive! 

Warmly,

Jane M. Bell, Author