Question:
What in the world is Snake Oil???

Pardon me for being somewhat dense. I guess I should know better considering I had my WLS approximately 3 years ago as of September 3, 2005. What in the world is "snake oil" when it comes to the description of 'gimmicky" weight loss products? Why call these products 'snake oil'...just curious. I would like to know so I can explain this to another WLS friend that was scared to ask the question. The only way you'll know is to ask...right? Thanks in advance for answering. PLEASE, no flamers! Proximal LAP RNY 9/3/02 5'2" 265/180/126-115 ~~~Hadiyah, a.k.a.~~~    — yourdivaness (posted on October 25, 2005)

October 25, 2005
It is medicine that does'nt work. A scam.
   — Danmark

October 25, 2005
Oh, wow! There's a blast from the past ----way, waaaay past! Snake oil is a term that refers to the "patent" medicines the old travelling medicine shows used to sell. Daniel, you're absolutely right, it means anything that doesn't work. This goes back to the frontier, late 1700's to mid 1800's. The medicine shows were wagons outfitted with a bunch of bottles, usually gathered from the dump in the last town, then filled with mixtures that were mostly alcohol. Didn't cure much, but you didn't really care after a few doses. Usually the show would pull into town, beat a drum to get everyone's attention, maybe do a little juggling or fancy dancing (clogging), then the "doctor" would give a spiel about how his particular medicine could cure anything ("Good for man and beast!") Often there was a "ringer" in the crowd, someone who claimed to have been cured by this miraculous concoction. One of the popular supposed ingredients was snake oil, which was an old Chinese remedy for aches and pains. No, it didn't contain real snake parts, any more than tiger balm is made from tigers. But since none of these concoctions worked, the phrase "snake oil" came to stand for any medical con job, anything that sounds great but doesn't work. BTW -- Love "Your Divaness" -- sounds like a teenager I know... Mary
   — mwilson523

October 25, 2005
That's awesome. I love to learn, so thanks for the history lesson! (Guess you really do learn something new everyday!) hehe Amanda
   — AmandaLeigh =)

October 26, 2005
Hey that was a great description of a not-so-bygone era ! Snake oil still exists in many forms today in the form of mail order and TV products that claim all kinds of benefit and don't work. The snake oil "doctors" also practiced what is called itenerant medicine (a.k.a. "slash and dash") They would leave town before their complications (and angry patients) could catch up with them !
   — DrL

October 27, 2005
Yep. What they said. Colorful language makes daily life more fun, huh? I love this question. I like people who aren't afraid to ask whatever's on their minds. Too many of us are. :)
   — Jeanie