It appears, however, that the original fascination with snake oil followed from the arrival of the Chinese railroad workers in the 1800s, who had brought with them snake oil. The remedy was made from the oil of the Chinese water snake, which was rich in omega-3 acids and reduced inflammation of the joints. Eventually, the remedy would be shared with Americans, but with the lack of Chinese water snakes in the U.S., many wondered how they would be able to create their own version. Ultimately, Clark Stanley touted the healing power of the rattlesnake, without reference to the original Chinese snake oil.

Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, loc. 1170