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Description
Quebec, Montreal L. R. Baridon Baume Rhumal Patent Medicine Token Breton 664
Obverse: BAUME RHUMAL THE GREAT FRENCH COUGH SPECIFIC PATENTED IN FRANCE IN 1893 L. R. BARIDON PROPRIETOR MONTREAL, QUE.
Reverse: SI VOUS TOUSSEZ PRENEZ LE BAUME RHUMAL PATENTE AU CANADA EN 1891
Louis Richard Baridon (1855-1905) first appeared in Montreal directories in 1876, when he was employed by P.F. Casgrain's pharmacy at 803 Ste-Catherine, corner St-Denis. Around 1880, Louis Baridon became the owner of the pharmacy, which then bore the name of St-Denis Drug Hall.
In a headline that could have been written in 2022, a September 29th, 1885 article in The Chicago Daily Tribune tells of Montreal as a city terrorized by a mob, “Even sober-minded citizens insist that after last night’s anti-vaccination riots and the threats made today that the time had come to declare martial law”. Apparently, a few corrupt city councillors with an agenda were behind the scenes, orchestrating the mob. The active ringleaders were four French Communists who led the mob shouting slogans of “Vive la France”, “Bravo Riel” and “Down with the English and vaccination!” Their pandemic was smallpox, and the rioting increased, and troop involvement became necessary. The Grey Nunnery was attacked, as was the Health Office on St Catherines which over night was torn apart. Because Mr. Baridon’s shop, which was situated thirty doors down from the Health Office, sold vaccines it was stormed with gun shots being fired by the mob.
He is recognized by his peers and is a delegate of the Collège de Pharmacie du Québec at the Philadelphia Congress of the American Pharmaceutical Association in 1886, becomes second vice-president of the Pharmacy Council of Montreal or Quebec for several years from 1887. He is not only a pharmacist but also a Franco-Protestant entrepreneur. He developed a patented remedy Baume Rhumal, registered in the Canada in 1891 and in France in 1893. In 1901, it is indicated that Mr. Baridon owns the Compagnie Médicale Franco-Coloniale. As for the Pharmacie Baridon on St-Catherine, it was T.E. Gagner who became the owner around 1900, before leaving it to E. Nadeau who ran it before giving it his own name around 1910.
Mr. Baridon was a numismatist with a very fine collection of Canadian coins that in 1891 he sold to Pierre Breton. His advertising token dies were done by C. Tison with a mintage of only 100 pieces.
