The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906

On June 30, 1906, the passing of the Pure Food and Drug Act became one of the most important federal laws in the United States of America in the 20th century. It was created to provide inspection of meat products and prohibited the sale, manufacture and transport of harmful patent medicines.

In the past, the promotion of patent medicines for distribution did not require companies to label their items. So sometimes, claims were often exaggerated to prevent or to get rid of diseases such as epilepsy or scarlet fever. Most of the time, patent medicines were sold by snake oil salesmen (often referred by their other name charlatans) who were often said to practice the art of quackery. Snake oilsmen often used liniments (oils or lotions applied to the skin) which were patent medicines. Snake oils originally came from the country of China where it was known as sheyou, an elixir used for its quick healing properties. It was often used to remedy arthritis, bursitis and many other physical pains.

In England around 1712, snake oils from China became a patent of Richard Stoughton's Elixir and sold to the public. It would take some time to be recognized in the United States of America by route of Chinese Immigrants working to complete the long Transcontinental Railroad. But when it finally did receive recognition from the American and European Whites, it was used religiously to rid aching joints and other pains. Noticing the selling potential of the Chinese elixirs were conmen and even qualified doctors aching to make a quick buck from the Chinese imported oil.

It did not take long for generic brands to show up. All sorts of people tried to copy the Chinese elixirs, but were never successful in their endeavors. Their knock - off brands could never match the potency. Sometimes even medical doctors would try to sell - off snake oil in order to make quick cash. But to the snake oil salesmen and others, it was about quantity, not quality. So what resulted were unsatisfied customers still left with awful pains and with less money than before.