The claim
Robert Chesebrough, the American chemist who discovered petroleum jelly and lived for 96 years, had a spoonful of Vaseline every day, according to social media posts.
Rating
However, ingestion can lead to symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, cough and throat irritation, shortness of breath, and chest pain, to name some.
Reviewed by First Check ↗ ·
Original fact check ↗PeakMetrics research summary
Based on related reporting.
Related research reporting from the American Oil & Gas Historical Society says Robert Chesebrough “consumed a spoonful of Vaseline each day and lived to be 96 years old.” It also says he patented Vaseline on June 4, 1872.[S1]
Research date:
Sources and attribution
- [original] First Check original review
Original review · Retrieved October 16, 2026
- [S1] This Week in Petroleum History: June 1 – 7
Additional research · Retrieved October 16, 2026