Actual Snake Oil?

[der_kluge]

Is there such a thing as actual snake oil? I've been doing research on this, and I can find only vague mentions of it, but nothing really legitimate, and certainly none for sale. I saw a reference to it on a Pagan site, but again nothing for actual sale.

So, if I plunked down actual cash money, would someone be able to produce a bottle of legitimate actual-factual snake oil? And if so, how does one produce it?

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I don't think that snakes would have enough fat to make a lot of oil. It would take a whole hideous writhing lot of snakes to make a bottle.

 

[Tonguez]

I always thought the term refered to venom milked from a snakes venom glands and atributed with miraculous healing powers

 

[jmucchiello]

Did you try Google?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_oil

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

You can lubricate snakes with motor, linseed, or olive oil with equal effectiveness.

- Olgar "Snake Oil Salesman" Shiverstone

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I'm fond of linseed oil myself; keeps the snake supple.

 

[Videssian]

I'm fond of linseed oil myself; keeps the snake supple.

How odd.. I don't use oil anywhere on MY snake, and it stays supple enough..

 

[ARandomGod]

How odd.. I don't use oil anywhere on MY snake, and it stays supple enough..

Snake oil is a term used to refer to something that does not exist. A "snake oil salesman" is a person selling something that doesn't exist. Usually a baldness cure or a heal-all or something similiar.

 

[Gez]

A charlatan, in other words.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

Yes, I always thought that snake oil pretty much meant a sneak or a cheat. Kind of like selling 'lots in the blue sky' which is where we get the term 'Blue Sky' Laws. The same people who would sell you snake oil might also offer you a bridge in Brooklyn.