In 1909, wealthy widow Susie W. Allgood marketed a plush marsupial inspired by President William Howard Taft. But children ...

Instead of biting, they simply stop, drop and “play possum,” losing consciousness for up to four hours. “To complete the illusion,” MacDonald says, “they exude a smell like rotting meat.

The publicity stunt inspired headlines like “‘Possum Meat Am Good to Eat,’ Say Girlies Sweet,” but the stories failed to mention the Allgoods’ company or its stuffed toy. By the end of ...