History with Phil: How Vaseline found its way into medicine cabinets across America

Vaseline, the well-known petroleum jelly brand, began with an accidental discovery in the mid-19th century. Its story starts with Robert Augustus Chesebrough, a young chemist from New York. In the 1850s, Chesebrough was involved in producing kerosene from whale oil, but due to over-hunting, whale oil was becoming increasingly scarce. Fortunately for Chesebrough, he had recently read about a promising new discovery in Titusville, Pennsylvania — oil. So, he traveled to the booming oil fields of Titusville, seeking new opportunities.