Skip to main content

Kill or cure? Scientists reveal that toxins like lead and mercury were the 'miraculous' ingredients that were REALLY used in the snake oil remedies of the early 1900s



Snake oil has become synonymous with frauds and schemes, and now professors are looking into what the questionable concoctions were sold in the early 1900s.

The Smithsonian published an article trying to break down the scary combinations of damaging- and sometimes even toxic- chemicals in the hopes of shilling it out to the unsuspecting.

A chemist from the University of Detroit Mercy looked at the patents of a number of the questionable salves and discovered the presence of mercury and arsenic in some of the so-called 'snake oil' potions doled out in the late 1800s and 1900s.


The closest remnant of a shred of truth to the effectiveness of snake oil dates back to the theory that Chinese laborers would use an oil derived from the Chinese Water Snake to help soothe their aching joints.

From there, the chain of truth becomes a slithery thing to hold on to.

Many would-be chemists- few of whom had any real medical or scientific training- made their own concoctions and touted their relief properties.

Chemist Mark Benvenuto headed up the research group that looked at several dozen patented medicines from the turn of the century and found that they were various combinations of calcium, zinc, and more threatening ingredients like arsenic and lead.





The people who unwittingly used these concoctions didn't know what they were in for when they bought the treatments, as the names were creatively deceiving.




Hot product: The contents of lotions or medications like the 'Magic Nervine Pills' were unclear but they promised to make an unclear yet positive impact on the user








Problematic promises: Many of the questionable concoctions all came with the names of doctors attached as if to imply that they had been tested or were made reputably, many of which were not



Big industry: Though not all of the products made any mention to 'snake oil', the term became synonymous with fraudulent schemes

Among the options included in the Henry Ford Museum collection, which was used in the study, were such treatments like Dr Tutt's Liver Pills, Hollister's Golden Nugget Tablets or Dr Sawen's Magic Nerving Pills.

Some relied heavily on alliteration to help hide the lack of substance, like in the case of Dr Comfort's Candy-Covered Cathartic Compound.


'Back in the day, this was a very trial-and-error kind of field,' Mr Benvenuto told Smithsonian.

'The stuff that we think of as dangerous now, though it was dangerous, was as cutting-edge as they had at the time.'


Precious ingredients: A mix of vitamins and chemicals were used to make the unscientific products



Improvements: Some products evolved over time, as this packaging shows that it was proud to say that it did not include narcotics or alcohol




A very different level of cutting-edge technology was used to break down the ancient compounds: particles overloaded with X-rays determined some facts about the solid pills, while electromagnetic emissions in nuclear magnetic resonance testing demystified the liquid compounds.

One of the biggest threats facing users was the fact that many of the precautions put into place nowadays- most notably the rounds and rounds of testing that drugs go through before hitting the open market- were not standard in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

'Nowadays, we start by seeing if a drug can kill certain kinds of cells, then we’ll try it in mice, then dogs, then humans,' Mr Benvenuto said.

'Obviously, we have a better system now, but I think this type of medicine was the first step in the road to where we are now. Compared to folk cures, it was a first step at being logical.'

Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o