What is Snake Oil?
Snake oil is both a legitimate product made from the oil of Chinese water snakes, and a derogatory term for a variety of products that claim to cure ailments but do not. The snake oil salesman, once a common feature in the US and in the UK, was a person who sold silver bullet cures for any illness. Originally, the initial snake oil came from China, where it is still used as a medicinal treatment to cure inflammation and arthritic conditions.
