Ep. 92: Medical Quackery & Snake Oil Salesmen

Since the days of antiquity, the human race has been searching for cures for what ails us. From disease to mental illness to sexual dysfunction and more, we've always tried to find the solutions to the things that plague our health. And, sometimes, those solutions end up being even worse - and could very well even kill us. This week, we explore stories of quack doctors and snake oil salesman in history, including a Founding Father of America, the creator of Kellogg's Corn Flakes, the inventor of the vibrator and "pelvic massage", the fans of bloodletting and leeching, and the salesmen of tonics and restoratives that included deadly ingredients like mercury, arsenic, antimony, and even opium and cocaine. After all, nothing's scarier than a miracle cure that proves deadlier than the symptoms themselves! ________________________________________ Connect with us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/aintitscary Twitter: @aintitscary Instagram: @aintitscary Patreon: www.patreon.com/aintitscary ___________________________________________ Thank you to our sponsors: BetterHelp - Special offer for Ain’t it Scary? listeners: Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/aintitscary Audible - Get a FREE audiobook and 30-Day Free Trial at www.audibletrial.com/aintitscary BarkBox - Enjoy a FREE month of BarkBox on us when you sign up for a 6 or 12-month BarkBox subscription! Visit www.barkbox.com/aintitscary for more details Hunt a Killer - Receive 20% off your first Hunt a Killer subscription box at www.huntakiller.com with the code SCARYSQUAD at checkout! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices