Episode
Snake Oil
48:52
Published: Tue Feb 02 2021
Description
The world of dieting and wellness is full of so-called snake oil salesmen—but what IS snake oil? This week, we take a wild ride through the history of health scams and discover a startling twist about an everyday idiom. Along the way, Aubrey delivers fun facts about sanitation from memory and Mike roasts the state where most of his family lives. Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks:Snake Oil, Hustlers & Hambones by Mary AndersonA History Of 'Snake Oil Salesmen' : Code Switch (NPR)How Snake Oil Got a Bad Rap (Hint: It Wasn’t The Snakes’ Fault) (Collectors Weekly)Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
Chapters
Michael Hobbs, a reporter for the Huffington Post, and Aubrey Gordon, an author and essayist, introduce themselves and their show, Maintenance Phase, which explores topics related to diet, wellness, and pseudoscience.
00:00 - 01:04 (01:04)
Summary
Michael Hobbs, a reporter for the Huffington Post, and Aubrey Gordon, an author and essayist, introduce themselves and their show, Maintenance Phase, which explores topics related to diet, wellness, and pseudoscience.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
The host explores the history of quackery, including the origins of the phrase "selling snake oil," and how it relates to fraudulent health and wellness products.
01:04 - 05:48 (04:44)
Summary
The host explores the history of quackery, including the origins of the phrase "selling snake oil," and how it relates to fraudulent health and wellness products.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
Freak Shows were a form of entertainment that included the display of individuals with disabilities, disfigurements, little people, and fat people.
05:48 - 09:56 (04:07)
Summary
Freak Shows were a form of entertainment that included the display of individuals with disabilities, disfigurements, little people, and fat people. This spectacle was created for white people to gaze at and further perpetuated harmful stereotypes and discrimination.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
Medicine shows were a popular form of entertainment in rural areas, serving as the primary source of entertainment for small towns.
09:56 - 13:44 (03:48)
Summary
Medicine shows were a popular form of entertainment in rural areas, serving as the primary source of entertainment for small towns. While they were marketed with products, the shows were more about the entertainment aspect rather than the products themselves.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
In the past, people lacked specialization due to a lack of education and business opportunities.
13:44 - 17:11 (03:26)
Summary
In the past, people lacked specialization due to a lack of education and business opportunities. This resulted in individuals being both a doctor and a blacksmith, or a doctor and a farmer, making it difficult for people to determine the expertise of others.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
Doctors were not skilled at their craft during outbreaks of yellow fever in early America, leading to significant patient deaths.
17:11 - 20:44 (03:33)
Summary
Doctors were not skilled at their craft during outbreaks of yellow fever in early America, leading to significant patient deaths.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
The allure of confident claims and a broken healthcare system made patent medicine a big business in the 1800s and early 1900s, leading to the creation of artificial tapeworms by a Kansas City factory.
20:44 - 25:58 (05:13)
Summary
The allure of confident claims and a broken healthcare system made patent medicine a big business in the 1800s and early 1900s, leading to the creation of artificial tapeworms by a Kansas City factory.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
The popularity of indigenous medicine became prevalent as the genocide of indigenous peoples became more completed and they were perceived as less of a threat.
25:58 - 31:47 (05:48)
Summary
The popularity of indigenous medicine became prevalent as the genocide of indigenous peoples became more completed and they were perceived as less of a threat. However, many of these remedies were developed by tribal members and proved to be more effective than white folks remedies.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
Snake oil salesmen would use elaborate performances to convince people to buy their fake products.
31:47 - 36:24 (04:37)
Summary
Snake oil salesmen would use elaborate performances to convince people to buy their fake products. Branding was also an important aspect of their business as they had to establish themselves as the one that works.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
This podcast explores the history of snake oil and how it became a common term for hucksterism.
36:24 - 39:41 (03:16)
Summary
This podcast explores the history of snake oil and how it became a common term for hucksterism. It also illustrates how the medical industry has evolved since then with the emergence of regulated medicine.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
Snake oil salesmen used to be racist white people who profiteered off of indigenous people, gave out heroin, and wore black and brown face.
39:41 - 44:44 (05:02)
Summary
Snake oil salesmen used to be racist white people who profiteered off of indigenous people, gave out heroin, and wore black and brown face. Chinese people used effective medication, but it was still considered a scam by others.
EpisodeSnake Oil
PodcastMaintenance Phase
The tactics of food marketing may seem like a distant memory of the past, but they are still in play now and demand consumer vigilance and surveillance.
44:44 - 48:42 (03:58)
Summary
The tactics of food marketing may seem like a distant memory of the past, but they are still in play now and demand consumer vigilance and surveillance. The absence of constantly updated regulatory structures leads to a situation where the onus is on the consumer to differentiate between what is real and what is fake, which is unsustainable.