By Dr. Anthony Policastro In the 1800’s, Chinese laborers introduced snake oil to the United States. It was an oil made from the Chinese water snake. It contained omega-3 fatty acids. These could help reduce inflammation. For that reason, some people found it to be beneficial. However, there was another group of individuals who found it to be profitable. They created their own versions of useless oils. These oils were touted to be cure-alls for just about any illness. The most common ingredients included beef fat, mineral oil and alcohol. They were often sold as part of a traveling stage show performance. After the performers would get a crowd together, the “snake oil” salesman would tell everyone about the great formula that could [...]