W.Minh Tuan

Laboratoire La Thanh is one of the oldest pharmaceutical apothecary institutes in Saigon before 1975.

The owner of La Thanh Laboratoire- Laboratory is Mr. La Thanh Nghe, who studied pharmacy in France. After graduating, Mr. Nghe returned to Saigon in 1945, and opened a pharmacie- pharmacy on Tu Do Street.

After a while, he developed La Thanh pharmacy and returned into an apothecary institute called Laboratoire La Thanh, located on Tu Do Street. After 1975, Tu Do Street was renamed Dong Khoi Street. Laboratoire La Thanh is located between the old Huong Lan restaurant-La Pagoda, and the old Dong Khoi-Eden cinema.

Laboratoire La Thanh Manufacturing Institute produces pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics, vitamin supplements of all kinds, orange medicine, fever medicine, dermatological medicine,,,.

Laboratoire La Thanh’s products are aimed at serving the low-income, low-cost, and highly effective treatment class.

But the product that brings the most profit to Laboratoire La Thanh is Red Medicine – a mild antiseptic that almost every family has, when there is a cut hand, chipped leg, or minor injury, urgent first aid is needed.

Laboratoire La Thanh applied for a license to import the chemical Mercure Crome, imported from France, imported, mixed with distilled water to become an effective red medicine. The job is quite simple, the most important thing is to make clean, sterile distilled water, and when preparing, ensure absolute sterility. Maintaining absolute sterilization is the secret to Laboratoire La Thanh’s success.

The bottles were ordered by Mr. La Thanh Nghe from glass manufacturers. The brand was also ordered and printed according to Mr. La Thanh Nghe’s design.

The consumption of red medicine is very strong, almost every family buys a few small bottles to keep in the family medicine cabinet. The war situation escalated, many people were injured, the old Saigon army and the US army both needed red medicine. Even the communist army needed red medicine. Many people helped the Communist liberation army buy La Thanh Nghe red medicine and secretly sent it to the liberation army.

In addition to two types of red medicine and antibiotics, the Laboratoire La Thanh apothecary also invented a pommade to apply and treat sexually transmitted diseases and venereal diseases.

This disease often has red pimples around the groin and genitals. If you want to treat it, just apply pommade to that area after cleaning the wound with red medicine. Just a few times of applying pommade, the patient feels comfortable, no itching, and gradually recovers. This medicine does not cause pain or complications. Young men with leprosy often feel ashamed  and do not want to go to the hospital or private doctor for treatment.

They bought pommade medicine from pharmacist La Thanh Nghe and treated it themselves. Thanks to knowing that psychological factor and the effectiveness of the medicine, La Thanh Nghe sells this product very well.

When he became rich, Mr. La Thanh Nghe lived quietly, rarely boasting or debauchery like some other rich people.

In 1967, Mr. La Thanh Nghe ran for Member of the National Assembly, sharing the “White Tuong” ticket of Pharmacist Tran Van Lam and was elected. Mr. Tran Van Lam at one time served as Vice President of the Senate, and then as Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Nguyen Van Thieu.

However, the title of being a member of the National Assembly is only a decoration for Mr. La Thanh Nghe rather than a money-making career like his La Thanh pharmacy does. Therefore, during his time participating in politics, public opinion or the press did not hear him making any statements or take any political actions that showed his greed for power…

He also stayed away from the business establishments of other big names.

Pharmacist La Thanh Nghe often participates in charity activities, helping the poor. He joined the Saigon Red Cross, and is a member of the International Red Cross.

After 1975, the pharmacist and member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Vietnam La Thanh Nghe evacuated, and the Laboratoire La Thanh Institute also “sent the wind to clouds flying”, was nationalized, leaving only the past of a bygone era to monopoly on medicine business for the Ministry of Health today.

Who knows when will nationalist bourgeois like La Thanh Nghe return to serve the people?////