Crude Oil Lube? Food Safe? Get Rich Quick!

[RustyIron]

The year was 1859. People in Titusville, Pennsylvania figured out how to pump a liquid called "crude oil" out of the ground for the first time in history. Robert Chesebrough was in BIG TROUBLE.

Robert Chesebrough was a salesman in New York. He made his living selling sperm oil. No, it's not that. Sperm oil came from within the cranial cavity of whales. Each whale skull contained about 500 gallons of the oil, which was used by people all over the world for lighting their homes and businesses.

Despite Robert's comfortable position, he could see the storm clouds on the horizon. This black liquid they were pumping from the ground in Pennsylvania was being refined into kerosene. Kerosene was much cheaper than whale oil, and people were already buying it up for use in their lamps. If this crude oil production increased, Robert would be out of business in another year. Being a savy businessman, he booked a trip to Titusville to see for himself.

Upon arriving in Titusville, the situation was far worse than Robert expected. There were oil wells on every ridge, in every valley, and thousands of workers were busy drilling new wells.

Robert met with some of the oil workers to better understand the implications of this new industry. One of the challenges of pumping oil was a buildup of goop on the pumping rods--they called it "rod wax." Keep in mind that oilfield work isn't easy. It's difficult, it's strenuous, it's hazardous. Workers had to be tough, and even so, they often received cuts, burns, scrapes, and other injuries associated with hard physical labor. What Robert found interesting was the oilfield workers taking "rod wax" and applying it to their injuries. The practice was widespread, as everyone knew that their injuries would heal more quickly with the aid of "rod wax."

Robert gathered up some of this rod wax and conducted experiments on himself. Sure enough, the rod wax had a miraculous effect on all sorts of skin maladies. The entrepreneurial Robert imagined a new opportunity. He walked away from his dead-end whale oil business, and opened up shop selling his new product that he called "Vaseline."

Have you ever heard of a company called Chesebrough-Ponds? Yes, that was Robert Chesebrough. Today, they're part of Unilever. Chesebrough went from humble whale oil salesman to bazillionaire in just a few short years. Robert continued to use Vaseline throughout his life. In addition to applying it to his injuries, he ate a spoonful every day. Robert Chesebough finally passed away in 1933 at the ripe old age of 96.

[Aladinsane]

Fascinating!

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Very neat. Titusville and Tidiuote were knife making places.

Can you please repost this in my History Buff thread?

[Stuart Ackerman]

Apparently when they buried Robert, he SLiD right out of the coffin and into the grave.

[Aladinsane]

Apparently when they buried Robert, he SLiD right out of the coffin and into the grave.

Oh, that was brutal!

[Naperville]

"Robert Chesebough finally passed away in 1933 at the ripe old age of 96."

Amazing story regarding the consumption of Vaseline every day and living to 96, which proves modern science does not know yet what keeps man alive to the ripe ages humans may live to.

I'm slowing down on supplements. I am not going to add a spoonful every day of Vaseline either unless I read more on this interesting topic that makes me believe that I can live to 96 as well.

[Stuart Ackerman]

I have a tablespoon of olive oil every morning and a tablespoon of spoon of hemp seed oil at night. Helps with digestion they say.

[Naperville]

I have a tablespoon of olive oil every morning and a tablespoon of spoon of hemp seed oil at night. Helps with digestion they say.

Olive oil was a staple around the house here for a few years. My mother entered hospice, remained in the home, and I did everything to help her.

I will get some olive oil and get back to it.