Interestingly, snake oil gets it's reputation not because it is itself ineffective, but, it was because so many counterfeiters piled in selling cheapfakes, while simultaneously inflating cure-all claims. (citation, Smithsonian Magazine on Stanley Clark). Snake medicines are still used commonly in various types of Chinese medicine.
Keep in mind that the term "Snake Oil Salesman," was a twisting of the truth. Yes, it originated with Chinese immigrants from the 1800s. Among the items the Chinese railroad workers brought with them to the States were various medicines, including snake oil. Made from the oil of the Chinese water snake, which is rich in the omega-3 acids that help reduce inflammation, snake oil in its original form really was effective, especially when used to treat arthritis and bursitis. The workers would rub the oil, used for centuries in China, on their joints after a long hard day at work. The story goes that the Chinese workers began sharing the oil with some American counterparts, who marveled at the effects.
It is these American counterparts that dissembled the truth by creating ineffective variations of the formulas hence the twisting of the term, "Snake Oil Salesmen."
