About this episode
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:
Links:
- Snake Oil, Hustlers & Hambones by Mary Anderson
- A 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!
Get every episode summarized
Each time Maintenance Phase publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
