What is "Doctor Good?" (Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves.)

[BarnOwl]

@Exapno Mapcase

Same here. He ran a medicine show, peddling quack nostrums.

These often had a high alcohol content and were a way to sell liquor in “dry” areas that didn’t allow legal alcohol sales. These buyers were usually in on the gag, but most sincerely believed in the possible efficacy of the “cure.”

Notice how many different slang terms we’ve already used. That’s an indication of how ubiquitous these shows and medicines used to be.

Until I clicked on your link, I thought “snake oil” was a pejorative for all the phony nostrums sold by medical charlatans. But people really bought crap so named. Blows my mind.