Snake Oil and Opium Eaters
Snake Oil, Opium Eaters, and the Original Wellness Grifters
What do nineteenth-century snake oil salesmen, opium-laced medicines, and today's wellness trends have in common?
More than you might think.
In this special crossover episode, Shea from Rainy Day Rabbit Holes joins forces with historian Kenyon Payne, host of the Outcasts of the Earth Podcast, to explore the fascinating and often bizarre world of patent medicines, miracle cures, and the people who made fortunes selling hope in a bottle.
Shea uncovers the story of Clark Stanley, the legendary "Rattlesnake King" whose famous snake oil liniment helped turn the phrase snake oil salesman into a permanent part of the English language. Along the way, she reveals the surprising truth about real snake oil, why it actually worked, and how clever marketing transformed a legitimate remedy into one of history's most famous scams.
Then Kenyon zooms out to examine the rise of opium eating in the Victorian era. From laudanum and patent medicines to Civil War-era morphine addiction, she traces how nineteenth-century society wrestled with dependency, regulation, and the growing realization that not every miracle cure was as miraculous as advertised.
Together, they discuss:
- The real origins of snake oil medicine
- Why Chinese water snake oil actually had medicinal value
- Clark Stanley's rise from cowboy showman to national celebrity
- The role of advertising in selling miracle cures
- Opium eating and laudanum use in Victorian society
- How addiction was understood in the nineteenth century
- The Civil War's role in America's first opioid crisis
- The birth of drug regulation and the FDA
- Why human beings keep falling for miracle cures
Fact vs. Folklore
Fact: Traditional Chinese snake oil was rich in omega-3 fatty acids and may have provided legitimate pain relief.
Fact: Clark Stanley's famous snake oil preparation was eventually found to contain no snake oil at all.
Fact: Many nineteenth-century patent medicines contained opium, morphine, cocaine, or alcohol.
Folklore & Marketing: Cure-all tonics routinely claimed to treat everything from arthritis and sciatica to nervous disorders and general weakness.
Still Relevant Today: Many of the marketing tactics used by nineteenth-century patent medicine companies remain recognizable in modern supplement and wellness advertising.
About Our Special Guest
Kenyon Payne is the creator and host of the Outcasts of the Earth Podcast, a history podcast that explores people living on society's margins, forgotten stories, and overlooked corners of the past.
From witches and moonshiners to the history of alcohol and intoxicants, Kenyon brings deep historical research and engaging storytelling to every episode.
🎙️ Listen to Outcasts of the Earth Podcast:
https://www.ootepod.com/
Explore More from Rainy Day Rabbit Holes
If you love strange history, forgotten stories, weird science, folklore, mysteries, and the occasional ridiculous detour into humanity's stranger decisions, be sure to visit:
🌧️ https://rainydayrabbitholes.com
You'll find full episodes, show notes, source material, and plenty of additional rabbit holes to explore.
Support Both Shows
If you enjoyed this crossover episode:
✅ Subscribe to Rainy Day Rabbit Holes
✅ Subscribe to Outcasts of the Earth Podcast
✅ Leave a review wherever you listen
✅ Share the episode with a fellow history nerd
Because whether you're chasing snake oil salesmen, Victorian opium eaters, witches, moonshiners, or forgotten oddities from the past, there is always another rabbit hole waiting.
Rainy Day Rabbit Holes: https://rainydayrabbitholes.com
Outcasts of the Earth Podcast: https://www.ootepod.com/
See you down the next rabbit hole. 🐇🌧️
Related Episodes You Might Enjoy
If this episode has you fascinated by miracle cures, questionable health trends, and the long history of people selling hope in a bottle, check out these related episodes from Rainy Day Rabbit Holes:
☢️ Radithor: The Toxic Wellness Trend That Fooled America
Before influencers were selling detox teas, entrepreneurs were selling radioactive water. Explore the shocking story of Radithor, the "health tonic" that promised energy, vitality, and wellness while slowly poisoning its customers. It's a perfect companion to our discussion of patent medicines, false advertising, and the origins of modern drug regulation.
🔗 https://www.rainydayrabbitholes.com/podcast/radithor-the-toxic-wellness-trend-that-fooled-america
☢️ The Deadly Glow: America's Radium Craze
Snake oil wasn't the only dangerous fad promoted as a miracle cure. Dive into the bizarre world of radioactive beauty products, health remedies, and consumer goods during America's radium obsession. If you enjoyed learning how marketing often outpaced science, this episode is for you.
🔗 https://www.rainydayrabbitholes.com/podcast/the-deadly-glow-americas-radium-craze
🐍 Snake Oil Never Died, It Just Went Online (Featuring Dark History)
Think the age of snake oil salesmen ended with Clark Stanley? Think again. This episode explores how many of the same tactics used by nineteenth-century patent medicine peddlers are still thriving in the digital age. From miracle supplements to viral wellness claims, discover why snake oil never really disappeared, it just got better marketing.
🔗 https://www.rainydayrabbitholes.com/podcast/snake-oil-never-died-it-just-went-online-featuring-dark-history
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