History Today has a short article on the history of snake oil. Caught my attention by starting in Oklahoma. In 1901 a former circus performer named Susan Masall set herself up as a one-stop snake shop in the snaky part of the state, making snake venom for the peddlers and also for more legit purposes.
Per the article, the later commercial snake oil had no snake venom at all. It was mineral oil with traces of capsicum and camphor. Probably good for aches and pains and constipation, especially when you add the placebo function.
The biggest semi-legit peddler was William ‘Devil Bill’ Rockefeller. His two sons took over the mineral oil part of the recipe and expanded the business ever so slightly.
Now, of course, the Rockefeller Foundation is back in the NON-legit snake oil business, funding wars and Deepstate for 80 years.
Polistra's Mill 