Snake Oil | The Wild West's Biggest Scam episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 17, 2026 · 48 MIN

Snake Oil | The Wild West's Biggest Scam

from Things I Learned Last Night · host Jaron Myers and Tim Stone

Dive into the fascinating history of America's most famous 'snake oil salesman,' Clark Stanley. In this episode, we unpack the story of the 'Rattlesnake King,' who rose to fame at the 1893 World's Fair by peddling a miracle cure that contained no snake oil at all. We explore the remedy's true origins with Chinese railroad workers, Stanley's fraudulent marketing tactics, and how his empire of fake medicine crumbled with the rise of the FDA. This is a must-watch for anyone interested in medical history, marketing scams, and how history repeats itself with the modern supplement industry. Plus, stick around for a hilariously awkward story involving a therapist, a case of mistaken identity, and the phrase, 'I'm not Todd.' Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tilln.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode link: https://tilln.com/snakeoil Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/tillnpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch this next: Painless Parker - https://youtu.be/oZznFw6GwlI?si=iOIhRWUaxp8d_37x Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into the fascinating history of America's most famous 'snake oil salesman,' Clark Stanley. In this episode, we unpack the story of the 'Rattlesnake King,' who rose to fame at the 1893 World's Fair by peddling a miracle cure that contained no snake oil at all. We explore the remedy's true origins with Chinese railroad workers, Stanley's fraudulent marketing tactics, and how his empire of fake medicine crumbled with the rise of the FDA. This is a must-watch for anyone interested in medical history, marketing scams, and how history repeats itself with the modern supplement industry. Plus, stick around for a hilariously awkward story involving a therapist, a case of mistaken identity, and the phrase, 'I'm not Todd.' Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tilln.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode link: https://tilln.com/snakeoil Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/tillnpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch this next: Painless Parker - https://youtu.be/oZznFw6GwlI?si=iOIhRWUaxp8d_37x Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Snake Oil | The Wild West's Biggest Scam

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How long is this episode of Things I Learned Last Night?

This episode is 48 minutes long.

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This episode was published on March 17, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Dive into the fascinating history of America's most famous 'snake oil salesman,' Clark Stanley. In this episode, we unpack the story of the 'Rattlesnake King,' who rose to fame at the 1893 World's Fair by peddling a miracle cure that contained no...

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