Lubrications started when there were needs to:
-The need to separate rubbing metal surfaces to prevent overheating, rapid wear and seizure
-First internal combustion engine lubrication was based on many years of steam engine experience.
Do you know?
During the steam engine era, the engines utilized animal and vegetable oil to lubricate but were found unsuitable as they decomposed into organic acids when heated. Latter, mineral oils substitute in ‘locomoting’ the cylinder bores and animal/vegetable only used for bearing lubrication. Basicly, during that era, anything in the forms of slippery liquid or slimy material were used to lubricate. No research or thinking is put into lubrication.
The era after 1910s
The engines prior to that were revving like the arm in the clock, which were countable with bare eyes. Engine oil was never emphasized as recent era when the tachometers in our era showing the values in multiplier of x1000 rpm! In these last decades, motor oil is critical in so many ways:
-Lifespan
-Performance oil
-Racing oil
Today car demand powerful yet efficient engines increase stress translate to higher temperature and outrageous reving.