Rebecca J. Keck

Rebecca J. Keck portrait circa 1880 Peoria

Rebecca J. Keck (1838–1904) was a prominent American physician and businesswoman in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was known for her work in alternative medicine and her successful patent medicine business.

Early Life

Rebecca J. Keck was born in 1838 in Wisconsin. Little is known about her early life and education. She married John Keck, and the couple had several children.

Career

Rebecca J. Keck began her career in medicine at a time when women were largely excluded from the medical profession. She did not attend a formal medical school but gained knowledge through self-study and practical experience. Keck became known for her work in alternative medicine, particularly in the use of herbal remedies.

Patent Medicine Business

In the late 19th century, Keck established a successful patent medicine business. She created and marketed a range of herbal remedies that were sold across the United States. Her most famous product was "Dr. Keck's German Cough and Kidney Cure," which was advertised as a treatment for a variety of ailments, including coughs, kidney disease, and rheumatism.

Keck's business was highly successful, and she became one of the few women of her time to achieve significant financial success in the medical field. Her products were widely advertised in newspapers and through traveling salesmen.

Legacy

Rebecca J. Keck's work in alternative medicine and her success as a businesswoman made her a notable figure in the history of American medicine. Despite the lack of formal medical training, she gained a reputation for her knowledge of herbal remedies and her entrepreneurial skills.

Related Pages

• Alternative medicine
• Patent medicine
• Herbalism
• Women in medicine