Con artists playing on the fears of the flu pandemic have the feds putting out a list of 139 fraudulent products boasting cures for the H1N1 flu. That's not unusual. Mike Simonson reports.

The 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic had lots of quack remedies.

How about "Smok-ko" tabaccoless cigarettes. A 1918 ad calls it an influenza germ killer--a few puffs and goodbye grippe. Or stop the Spanish Flu with Laxative Bromo Quinine--said to be used in every civilized nation back then.

UW-Oshkosh Psychology Professor Susan McFadden studied the 1918 pandemic in Wisconsin. She says snake oil, cocaine, heroine and alcohol were all touted as remedies.

"They were convinced that various kinds of brandy helped. These were committed teetotalers but they figured if the doctor recommended that they drink the brandy that that's what they would do."

Historian Stephen Burg wrote about that pandemic for the Wisconsin Historical Society. He says not everything was a con. Some of the so-called remedies were supported by pharmacies and folklore.

"One of the new products on the market was Vick's VapoRub which became a very, very popular remedy at the time because you get the nice warm feeling in your chest and people hoped they were getting well. There's just dozens and dozens of these either products or folk remedies that people turn to out of sense of hope, out of a sense of desperation and out of a sense of fear."

The federal government is warning people that there is no cure to the H1N1 flu, so beware of hoax products. So far, Wisconsin Health Services reports no large scale efforts to peddle quack medicine.

• New system to make Apostle Islands kayakers informed, safer -9/2/2010
• Air Force vet running for Obey's seat as independent -9/1/2010
• Ashland's historic ore dock demolition in dispute, closed session set -8/31/2010
• Vietnam vets get thank yous and welcome homes Saturday in Superior -8/30/2010
• Republican Lt. Gov candidates weigh in on what a Lt. Gov does -8/29/2010