Go to main contentsGo to search barGo to main menu
Thursday, July 3, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Ad

Snake Oil

Snake Oil

Reading through editions of the “Fallon Standard” published 100 years ago, I noticed the many ads for pills, tonics, tinctures, elixirs-- medicinal panaceas of all kinds, replete with testimonials and outrageous claims about miraculous cures.  That kind of advertising proliferated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the local papers provide visual proof that what were called “patent medicines” had found their way to Fallon.                                

Despite the phrase “patent medicines,” the advertised goods were neither patented or, in most cases, medicinal. “It was rare for a patented medicine to be pharmacologically effective, and none lived up to the promises made by their advertising” (“Patent Medicine.” Wikipedia. February 14, 2025). The phrase was broadly used to describe anything that was cleverly packaged, widely advertised and purported to cure… whatever, from liver ailments to coughs to wrinkles.  The history of selling flim-flam cures goes back at least to the Roman Empire, but in America, in the latter part of the 19th century, so-called Medicine Shows, basically tents manned by super salesmen, popped up all over the country, especially in the West. The most notorious of them promoted, literally, snake oil, actually made of oil derived from snakes and promoted to cure whatever ailed you.  The shows and products were so ubiquitous that the term “selling Snake Oil” still has meaning today.   Two of the most famous Medicine Shows were put on by the Kickapoo Indian Medicine Company and Hamlin’s Wizard Oil Company.  They limbered up their audiences with mini circus acts—acrobats and trick-performing dogs—before the real sales pitches began.  Because the products were unregulated, most of them contained opium or alcohol or both, and deaths from overdoses were not uncommon. The first regulations on patent medicines were passed by Congress in the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act, but the regulatory powers granted by the act were narrowly defined, and fraud was hard to prove. A regulatory act with teeth was not passed until 1938, when the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act was passed, mandating a list of ingredients on the labels of foods, drugs, and cosmetics.

Thus, patent medicines continued to proliferate in the 1920’s.  Readers of the “Fallon Standard” suffering from a cough might be tempted to buy “HALL’S CATARRH MEDICINE,,, packaged in Toledo, Ohio, and sold by druggists for over 40 years.” Need more muscle?  Use SCOTT’S EMULSION to “vitalize the deficient diet…. promotes growth; builds strength.” Kidneys kicking up?  Take JAD SALTS, “a lithia water drink.” Feeling joint pain?  ROWLES RED PEPPER HEAT “ends rheumatism.”  Feeling just generally out of sorts?  “Save your money.  One Box of TUTT’S PILLS saves many dollars in doctor’s bills.  For diseases of the liver, sick headache, dyspepsia, constipation, biliousness.”  Bad skin? Try “a little jar of ROWLES MENTHOS SULPHER.”  The most ambitious claim was made in an ad for ADLERIKA.  “ADLERIKA acts on both upper and lower bowel and removes all gases and poisons.  Brings out matter you never thought was in your system.” Who could resist?

 Hospitals and doctors also advertised their services in the “Standard.”  In the Spring of 1925, Fallon could claim at least four hospitals.  Mrs. Moore’s Hospital was located at 40 North Nevada Street; Mrs. Mitchell’s Hospital was located at 101 Broadway.  Additionally, mentioned in news items were the Fallon Sanitorium and Mrs. Kinney’s Hospital, and two hospitals located in San Franisco placed ads in the local paper.   Who were the doctors?  Dr. C.H. Lehners advertised himself as a “physician & Surgeon”; Dr. H. W. Sawyer, M.D. advertised himself as a “Specialist in Obstetrics and feeding and diseases of Infants.” (Dr. Sawyer was the father of Nevada’s 21st Governor, Grant Sawyer,) H.R.S. Consol, D.C. advertised his Chiropractic service, claiming that, “I tell your Conditions Without Asking Questions.”

Finally, a reader of the “Standard” could find out which neighbor went to which doctor for what illness and landed in which hospital by reading through the items in the meatiest feature of the paper, a column titled “Local Events and News About Your Neighbors.”  All the nitty-gritty medical details were there, reported, updated, and published weekly. 

Please send your thoughts and items to [email protected]


Share
Rate

Comment

Comments

July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 1
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 2
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 3
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 4
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 5
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 6
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 7
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 8
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 9
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 10
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 11
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 12
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 13
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 14
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 15
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 16
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 1Page no. 1
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 2Page no. 2
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 3Page no. 3
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 4Page no. 4
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 5Page no. 5
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 6Page no. 6
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 7Page no. 7
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 8Page no. 8
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 9Page no. 9
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 10Page no. 10
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 11Page no. 11
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 12Page no. 12
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 13Page no. 13
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 14Page no. 14
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 15Page no. 15
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 16Page no. 16
COMMENTS
Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I knew Sam as a member of our church growing up. He always had a warm smile, a kind word, and a great sense of humor! He will be great missed!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:57 AMComment source: Obituary -- Samuel Bruce WickizerComment author: Mike HinzComment text: Great teacher, great coach, but even a better person!!! Rest in peace Mr. BeachComment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:53 AMComment source: Obituary -- Jack Victor Beach, Jr.Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I had Mrs Hedges for First Grade at Northside Elementary in 1969. I still, to this day, remember her as a wonderful teacher…one of my favorites!!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:29 AMComment source: Obituary - Nancy Marie Hedges C Comment author: Carl C. HagenComment text: What are MFNs and PBMs ?? ............................ From the editor: This is a very good question and we apologize for not catching that wasn't in there. We reached out to the writer/submitter and got this info back...hope it's helpful. PBM: Pharmacy Benefit Managers are pharmacies that are owned by insurance companies. (CVS is one.) They negotiate with drug makers to get reduced pricing for medications, but they historically have not passed along those savings to patients. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/pharmacy-benefit-managers-staff-report.pdf MFN: Most Favored Nation pricing is a policy that means a country agrees to offer the same trade concessions (like tariffs or price reductions) to all member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). When applied to pharmaceuticals, it could disrupt global access, deter innovation, and obscure the deeper systemic issues in American health care. https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2025/05/22/the-global-risks-of-americas-most-favored-nation-drug-pricing-policy/Comment publication date: 6/23/25, 7:47 AMComment source: L E T T E R TO THE EDITOR
SUPPORT OUR WORK