Episode 37: Snake Oil
Welcome To Oregon: A Oregon History & Lore Podcast · Oregon Voices Network
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (episodes.captivate.fm) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
Humans are very good at tricking each other, but they are also good at getting tricked. On this episode, lifelong Oregonian Marcus Axford takes you on a journey through the history of the states frauds, cons, and peddlers with stories about Bunco Kelley, the origin of the term "snake oil", and an epidemic that saved thousands of lives.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Thompson_(confidence_man)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ponzi#Early_life
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghaiing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scam
https://offbeatoregon.com/1407c.bunco-kelley-part2-the-myths.html
https://offbeatoregon.com/1407b.bunco-kelley-part1-the-facts.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Kelly_(crimper)
https://offbeatoregon.com/1812c.ka-ton-ka-donald-mckay-warm-springs-indian-medicine.html
https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/08/26/215761377/a-history-of-snake-oil-salesmen
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/dr-eugene-lazowski