ABBOTT LABORATORIES
10-K, 1997-03-11
PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS
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                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
                            ------------------------
 
                                   FORM 10-K
 
(MARK ONE)
 
/X/ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
    OF 1934
 
                                       OR
 
/ /  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
    SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                            ------------------------
 
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996        COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 1-2189
 
                            h    ABBOTT LABORATORIES
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                    <C>
       AN ILLINOIS CORPORATION                      36-0698440
                                          (I.R.S. employer identification
                                                      number)
 
        100 ABBOTT PARK ROAD                      (847) 937-6100
  ABBOTT PARK, ILLINOIS 60064-3500              (telephone number)
</TABLE>
 
          SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(B) OF THE ACT:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  NAME OF EACH EXCHANGE
               TITLE OF EACH CLASS                                 ON WHICH REGISTERED
<S>                                                 <C>
Common Shares, Without Par Value                    New York Stock Exchange
                                                    Chicago Stock Exchange
                                                    Pacific Stock Exchange
</TABLE>
 
INDICATE BY CHECK MARK WHETHER THE REGISTRANT (1) HAS FILED ALL REPORTS REQUIRED
TO BE FILED BY SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 DURING
THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS (OR FOR SUCH SHORTER PERIOD THAT THE REGISTRANT WAS
REQUIRED TO FILE SUCH REPORTS), AND (2) HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO SUCH FILING
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PAST 90 DAYS.
                                 YES _X_ NO ____
 
INDICATE BY CHECK MARK IF DISCLOSURE OF DELINQUENT FILERS PURSUANT TO ITEM 405
OF REGULATION S-K IS NOT CONTAINED HEREIN AND WILL NOT BE CONTAINED, TO THE BEST
OF REGISTRANT'S KNOWLEDGE, IN DEFINITIVE PROXY OR INFORMATION STATEMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN PART III OF THIS FORM 10-K OR ANY AMENDMENT TO THIS
FORM 10-K. [  ]
 
THE AGGREGATE MARKET VALUE OF THE 711,545,099 SHARES OF VOTING STOCK HELD BY
NONAFFILIATES OF THE REGISTRANT, COMPUTED BY USING THE CLOSING PRICE AS REPORTED
ON THE CONSOLIDATED TRANSACTION REPORTING SYSTEM FOR ABBOTT LABORATORIES COMMON
SHARES WITHOUT PAR VALUE ON JANUARY 31, 1997, WAS APPROXIMATELY
$38,779,207,895.50.
 
NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING AS OF JANUARY 31, 1997: 774,437,884.
 
                      DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
 
PORTIONS OF THE ABBOTT LABORATORIES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER
31, 1996 ARE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO PARTS I, II, AND IV.
 
PORTIONS OF THE 1997 ABBOTT LABORATORIES PROXY STATEMENT ARE INCORPORATED BY
REFERENCE INTO PART III.
 
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                                     PART I
 
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
 
                        GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS
 
    Abbott Laboratories is an Illinois corporation, incorporated in 1900. The
Company's* principal business is the discovery, development, manufacture, and
sale of a broad and diversified line of health care products and services.
 
              FINANCIAL INFORMATION RELATING TO INDUSTRY SEGMENTS,
               GEOGRAPHIC AREAS, AND CLASSES OF SIMILAR PRODUCTS
 
    Incorporated herein by reference is the footnote entitled "Industry Segment
and Geographic Area Information" of the Consolidated Financial Statements in the
Abbott Laboratories Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 1996 (1996
Annual Report), filed as an exhibit to this report. Also incorporated herein by
reference is the text and table of sales by class of similar products included
in the section of the 1996 Annual Report captioned "Financial Review."
 
                       NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
 
PHARMACEUTICAL AND NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS
 
    Included in this segment is a broad line of adult and pediatric
pharmaceuticals and nutritionals. These products are sold primarily on the
prescription or recommendation of physicians or other health care professionals.
The segment also includes agricultural and chemical products, bulk
pharmaceuticals, and consumer products.
 
    Principal pharmaceutical and nutritional products include the
anti-infectives clarithromycin, sold in the United States under the trademark
Biaxin-Registered Trademark- and outside the United States primarily under the
trademark Klacid-Registered Trademark-, and tosufloxacin, sold in Japan under
the trademark Tosuxacin-Registered Trademark-, various forms of the antibiotic
erythromycin, sold primarily as PCE-Registered Trademark- or polymer coated
erythromycin, Erythrocin-Registered Trademark-, and
E.E.S.-Registered Trademark-, and Norvir-Registered Trademark- , a protease
inhibitor for the treatment of HIV infection; agents for the treatment of
epilepsy and bipolar disorder, including Depakote-Registered Trademark-; a broad
line of cardiovascular products, including Loftyl-Registered Trademark-, a
vasoactive agent sold outside the United States; Hytrin-Registered Trademark-,
used as an anti-hypertensive and for the treatment of benign prostatic
hyperplasia; Abbokinase-Registered Trademark-, a thrombolytic drug;
Survanta-Registered Trademark-, a bovine derived lung surfactant; various forms
of prepared infant formula, including Similac-Registered Trademark-,
Isomil-Registered Trademark-, Alimentum-Registered Trademark-, and Similac
NeoCare-Registered Trademark-; and other medical and pediatric nutritionals,
including Ensure-Registered Trademark-, Ensure Plus-Registered Trademark-,
Ensure-Registered Trademark- High Protein, Ensure-Registered Trademark- Light,
Jevity-Registered Trademark-, Glucerna-Registered Trademark-,
Advera-Registered Trademark-, PediaSure-Registered Trademark-,
Pedialyte-Registered Trademark-, Pulmocare-Registered Trademark- and
Gain-Registered Trademark-. Consumer products include the dandruff shampoo
Selsun Blue-Registered Trademark-; Murine-Registered Trademark- eye care and ear
care products; and Tronolane-Registered Trademark- hemorrhoid medication.
Agricultural, animal health, and chemical products include plant growth
regulators, including ProGibb-Registered Trademark-; herbicides; larvicides,
including VectoBac-Registered Trademark-; biologically derived insecticides,
including DiPel-Registered Trademark- and XenTari-Registered Trademark-; and
anti-infectives, including Saraflox-Registered Trademark- and
Sarafin-Registered Trademark-.
 
    Pharmaceutical and nutritional products are generally sold directly to
retailers, wholesalers, health care facilities, and government agencies. In most
cases, they are distributed from Company-owned distribution centers or public
warehouses. Certain products are co-marketed with other companies. In
 
- ------------------------
 
*   As used throughout the text of this report on Form 10-K, the term "Company"
    refers to Abbott Laboratories, an Illinois corporation, or Abbott
    Laboratories and its consolidated subsidiaries, as the context requires.
 
                                       1
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certain overseas countries, some of these products are marketed and distributed
through distributors. Primary marketing efforts for pharmaceutical and
nutritional products are directed toward securing the prescription or
recommendation of the Company's brand of products by physicians or other health
care professionals. In the United States managed care purchasers, for example
health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and pharmacy benefit managers, are
becoming increasingly important customers. Competition is generally from other
broad line and specialized health care manufacturers. A significant aspect of
competition is the search for technological innovations. The introduction of new
products by competitors and changes in medical practices and procedures can
result in product obsolescence. In addition, the substitution of generic drugs
for the brand prescribed has increased competitive pressures on pharmaceutical
products.
 
    Consumer products are promoted directly to the public by consumer
advertising. These products are generally sold directly to retailers and
wholesalers. Competitive products are sold by other diversified consumer and
health care companies. Competitive factors include consumer advertising,
scientific innovation, price, and availability of generic product forms.
 
    Agricultural, animal health and chemical products are generally sold to
agricultural distributors, animal health companies and pharmaceutical companies.
Competition is primarily from chemical, animal health and agricultural
companies. Competition is based on numerous factors depending on the market
served. Competitive factors include product performance, quality, price, and
technological advantages.
 
    The Company is the leading worldwide producer of the antibiotic
erythromycin. Ensure-Registered Trademark- is the leading medical nutritional
worldwide. Similac-Registered Trademark- is a leading infant formula in the
United States.
 
    Under an agreement between the Company and Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd.
of Japan (Takeda), TAP Holdings Inc., (owned 50 percent by the Company and 50
percent by Takeda) together with its subsidiary, TAP Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TAP),
develops and markets products in the United States. TAP markets
Lupron-Registered Trademark-, an LH-RH analog, and Lupron
Depot-Registered Trademark-, a sustained release form of
Lupron-Registered Trademark- in the United States. Lupron-Registered Trademark-
and Lupron Depot-Registered Trademark- are used for the palliative treatment of
advanced prostate cancer, treatment of endometriosis and central precocious
puberty, and for preoperative treatment of patients with anemia caused by
uterine fibroids. TAP also markets Prevacid-Registered Trademark-
(lansoprazole), a proton pump inhibitor, and has a co-promotion arrangement with
the Company for Prevacid-Registered Trademark-. Prevacid-Registered Trademark-
is indicated for short-term treatment of duodenal ulcers, esophagitis, and
long-term treatment of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, as well as the maintenance of
healed erosive esophagitis. The Company also has marketing rights to certain
Takeda products in select Latin American markets. The Company also markets
Lupron-Registered Trademark-, Lupron Depot-Registered Trademark-, Lupron
Depot-Ped-Registered Trademark-, and Prevacid-Registered Trademark- in select
markets outside the United States.
 
HOSPITAL AND LABORATORY PRODUCTS
 
    Hospital and laboratory products include diagnostic systems for blood banks,
hospitals, commercial laboratories, alternate-care testing sites and consumers;
intravenous and irrigation fluids and related administration equipment,
including electronic drug delivery systems; drugs and drug delivery systems;
anesthetics; critical care products; diagnostic imaging products; and other
medical specialty products for hospitals and alternate-care sites. In the second
and third quarters of 1996, the Company acquired, for cash, all of the
outstanding shares of MediSense, Inc., a manufacturer of blood glucose
self-testing systems.
 
    The principal products included in this segment are parenteral (intravenous
or I.V.) solutions and related administration equipment sold as the
LifeCare-Registered Trademark- line of products,
LifeShield-Registered Trademark- needleless products, and
Venoset-Registered Trademark- products; irrigating fluids; parenteral
nutritionals such as Aminosyn-Registered Trademark- and
Liposyn-Registered Trademark-; Plum-Registered Trademark-,
Omni-Flow-Registered Trademark- and Abbott AIM-Registered Trademark- electronic
drug delivery systems; Abbott Pain Manager-Registered Trademark-;
patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) systems; venipuncture products; hospital
injectables including FirstChoice-Registered Trademark- generics; premixed I.V.
drugs in various containers; ADD-Vantage-Registered Trademark- and
Nutrimix-Registered Trademark- drug and nutritional delivery systems;
Anne-Registered Trademark- anesthetic infusion systems; anesthetics, including
Pentothal-Registered Trademark-, Amidate-Registered Trademark-, sevoflurane
(sold in the United States and a few other markets as
Ultane-Registered Trademark- and outside of the United States
 
                                       2
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primarily under the trademark Sevorane-Registered Trademark-), isoflurane and
enflurane; Calcijex-Registered Trademark-, an injectable agent for treatment of
bone disease in hemodialysis patients; critical care products including
Opticath-Registered Trademark- and OptiQue-TM- advanced sensor catheters,
Transpac-Registered Trademark- for hemodynamic monitoring, specialty cardiac
products; and Faultless-Registered Trademark- rubber sundry products; diagnostic
imaging products used in MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computed
tomography) imaging; screening tests for hepatitis B, HTLV-1, hepatitis B core,
and hepatitis C; tests for detection of AIDS antibodies and antigens, and other
infectious disease detection systems; tests for determining levels of abused
drugs with the ADx-Registered Trademark- instrument; physiological diagnostic
tests; cancer monitoring tests including tests for prostate specific antigen;
laboratory tests and therapeutic drug monitoring systems such as
TDx-Registered Trademark-; clinical chemistry systems such as Abbott
Spectrum-Registered Trademark-, Abbott Spectrum-Registered Trademark-
EPx-Registered Trademark-, Abbott Spectrum-Registered Trademark- CCx-TM-, and
Quantum-TM-; AxSYM-Registered Trademark-, Commander-Registered Trademark-,
IMx-Registered Trademark-, and Abbott Prism-Registered Trademark- lines of
diagnostic instruments and chemical reagents used with immunoassay diagnostics;
the LCx-Registered Trademark- amplified DNA probe system and reagents; Abbott
Vision-Registered Trademark-, a desk-top blood analyzer; the Abbott
TestPack-Registered Trademark- system for diagnostic testing; a full line of
hematology systems and reagents known as the Cell-Dyn-Registered Trademark-
series; and the MediSense line of blood glucose monitoring meters and test
strips for diabetics including Precision Q.I.D.-TM-, the
ExacTech-Registered Trademark-, the MediSense II-TM-, and the ExacTech RSG-TM-.
 
    The Company markets hospital and laboratory products in the United States
and many other countries. These products are generally distributed to
wholesalers and directly to hospitals, laboratories, and physicians' offices
from distribution centers maintained by the Company. Sales in the home infusion
services market are also made directly to patients receiving treatment outside
the hospital through marketing arrangements with hospitals and other health care
providers. Overseas sales are made either directly to customers or through
distributors, depending on the market served. Blood glucose monitoring meters
and test strips for diabetics are sold over the counter to consumers.
 
    The hospital and laboratory products industry segment is highly competitive,
both in the United States and overseas. This segment is subject to competition
in technological innovation, price, convenience of use, service, instrument
warranty provisions, product performance, long-term supply contracts, and
product potential for overall cost effectiveness and productivity gains.
Products in this segment can be subject to rapid product obsolescence. The
Company has benefitted from technological advantages of certain of its current
products; however, these advantages may be reduced or eliminated as competitors
introduce new products.
 
    The Company is one of the leading domestic manufacturers of I.V. and
irrigating solutions and related administration equipment, parenteral
nutritional products, anesthesia products, and drug delivery systems. It is also
the worldwide leader in in vitro diagnostic products, including thyroid tests,
therapeutic drug monitoring, cancer monitoring tests, diagnostic tests for the
detection of hepatitis and AIDS antibodies, and immunodiagnostic instruments.
 
         INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPANY'S BUSINESS IN GENERAL
 
SOURCES AND AVAILABILITY OF RAW MATERIALS
 
    The Company purchases, in the ordinary course of business, necessary raw
materials and supplies essential to the Company's operations from numerous
suppliers in the United States and overseas. There have been no recent
availability problems or significant supply shortages.
 
PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, AND LICENSES
 
    The Company is aware of the desirability for patent and trademark protection
for its products. Accordingly, where possible, patents and trademarks are sought
and obtained for the Company's products in the United States and all countries
of major marketing interest to the Company. The Company owns, has applications
pending for, and is licensed under a substantial number of patents. Principal
trademarks and the products they cover are discussed in the Narrative
Description of Business on pages 1, 2 and 3. These, and various patents which
expire during the period 1997 to 2017, in the aggregate, are believed to
 
                                       3
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be of material importance in the operation of the Company's business. The
Company believes that no single patent, license, trademark (or related group of
patents, licenses, or trademarks), except for those related to clarithromycin,
is material in relation to the Company's business as a whole. The principal
patents covering clarithromycin are licensed from Taisho Pharmaceutical Co.,
Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan. The Uruguay Round Agreements Act implemented the Uruguay
Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in the United States.
It appears that under the intellectual property provisions of GATT the patent on
the clarithromycin compound is scheduled to expire in the United States in 2005.
 
SEASONAL ASPECTS, CUSTOMERS, BACKLOG, AND RENEGOTIATION
 
    There are no significant seasonal aspects to the Company's business. The
incidence of certain infectious diseases which occur at various times in
different areas of the world does, however, affect the demand for the Company's
anti-infective products. Orders for the Company's products are generally filled
on a current basis, and order backlog is not material to the Company's business.
No single customer accounted for sales equaling 10 percent or more of the
Company's consolidated net sales. No material portion of the Company's business
is subject to renegotiation of profits or termination of contracts at the
election of the government.
 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 
    The Company spent $1,204,841,000 in 1996, $1,072,745,000 in 1995, and
$963,516,000 in 1994 on research to discover and develop new products and
processes and to improve existing products and processes. The Company continues
to concentrate research expenditures in pharmaceutical and diagnostic products.
 
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
 
    The Company believes that its operations comply in all material respects
with applicable laws and regulations concerning environmental protection.
Regulations under federal and state environmental laws impose stringent
limitations on emissions and discharges to the environment from various
manufacturing operations. The Company's capital and operating expenditures for
pollution control in 1996 were approximately $29 million and $50 million,
respectively. Capital and operating expenditures for pollution control are
estimated to approximate $18 million and $50 million, respectively, in 1997.
 
    The Company is participating as one of many potentially responsible parties
in investigation and/or remediation at eleven locations in the United States and
Puerto Rico under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act, commonly known as Superfund. The aggregate costs of remediation
at these sites by all identified parties are uncertain but have been subject to
widely ranging estimates totaling as much as several hundred million dollars. In
many cases, the Company believes that the actual costs will be lower than these
estimates, and the fraction for which the Company may be responsible is
anticipated to be considerably less and will be paid out over a number of years.
The Company expects to participate in the investigation or cleanup at these
sites. The Company is also voluntarily investigating potential contamination at
two Company-owned sites, and has initiated voluntary remediation at four sites,
in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or similar state
agencies.
 
    While it is not feasible to predict with certainty the costs related to the
previously described investigation and cleanup activities, the Company believes
that such costs, together with other expenditures to maintain compliance with
applicable laws and regulations concerning environmental protection, should not
have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position, cash flows,
or results of operations.
 
EMPLOYEES
 
    The Company employed 52,817 persons as of December 31, 1996.
 
                                       4
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REGULATION
 
    The development, manufacture, sale, and distribution of the Company's
products are subject to comprehensive government regulation, and the general
trend is toward more stringent regulation. Government regulation by various
federal, state, and local agencies, which includes detailed inspection of and
controls over research and laboratory procedures, clinical investigations, and
manufacturing, marketing, sampling, distribution, recordkeeping, storage and
disposal practices, substantially increases the time, difficulty, and costs
incurred in obtaining and maintaining the approval to market newly developed and
existing products. Government regulatory actions can result in the seizure or
recall of products, suspension or revocation of the authority necessary for
their production and sale, and other civil or criminal sanctions.
 
    Continuing studies of the utilization, safety, and efficacy of health care
products and their components are being conducted by industry, government
agencies, and others. Such studies, which employ increasingly sophisticated
methods and techniques, can call into question the utilization, safety, and
efficacy of previously marketed products and in some cases have resulted, and
may in the future result, in the discontinuance of marketing of such products
and give rise to claims for damages from persons who believe they have been
injured as a result of their use.
 
    The cost of human health care products continues to be a subject of
investigation and action by governmental agencies, legislative bodies, and
private organizations in the United States and other countries. In the United
States, most states have enacted generic substitution legislation requiring or
permitting a dispensing pharmacist to substitute a different manufacturer's
version of a pharmaceutical product for the one prescribed. Federal and state
governments continue to press efforts to reduce costs of Medicare and Medicaid
programs, including restrictions on amounts agencies will reimburse for the use
of products. Manufacturers must pay certain statutorily-prescribed rebates on
Medicaid purchases for reimbursement on prescription drugs under state Medicaid
plans. In addition, the federal government follows a diagnosis-related group
(DRG) payment system for certain institutional services provided under Medicare
or Medicaid. The DRG system entitles a health care facility to a fixed
reimbursement based on discharge diagnoses rather than actual costs incurred in
patient treatment, thereby increasing the incentive for the facility to limit or
control expenditures for many health care products. The Veterans Health Care Act
of 1992 requires manufacturers to extend additional discounts on pharmaceutical
products to various federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans
Affairs, Department of Defense, and Public Health Service entities and
institutions.
 
    In the United States, governmental cost-containment efforts have extended to
the federally funded Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants,
and Children (WIC). All states participate in WIC and have sought and obtained
rebates from manufacturers of infant formula whose products are used in the
program. All of the states have also conducted competitive bidding for infant
formula contracts which require the use of specific infant formula products for
the state WIC program. The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 1989
requires all states participating in WIC to engage in competitive bidding or to
use any other cost containment measure that yields savings equal to or greater
than the savings generated by a competitive bidding system.
 
    Governmental regulatory agencies now require prescription drug manufacturers
to pay additional fees. Under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992, the
Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) imposes substantial fees on various
aspects of the approval, manufacture and sale of proprietary prescription drugs.
Congress is now considering expanding user fees to generic drugs and medical
devices. The Company believes that such legislation, if enacted, will add
considerable expense for the Company.
 
    The Company expects debate to continue during 1997 at both the federal and
the state level over the availability, method of delivery, and payment for
health care products and services. The Company believes that if legislation is
enacted, it could have the effect of reducing prices, or reducing the rate of
price increases, for medical products and services.
 
                                       5
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    International operations are also subject to a significant degree of
government regulation. Many countries, directly or indirectly through
reimbursement limitations, control the selling price of most health care
products. Furthermore, many developing countries limit the importation of raw
materials and finished products. International regulations are having an impact
on United States regulations, as well. The International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) provides the criteria for regulating medical devices
within the European Economic Community. The Company has made significant strides
in gaining ISO 9000 and European Norm 46000 certification for facilities that
manufacture devices for European markets. The FDA has announced that it will
attempt to harmonize its regulation of medical devices with that of the ISO.
Proposed changes to the FDA's regulations governing the manufacture of medical
devices appear to encompass and exceed the ISO's approach to regulating medical
devices. The FDA's adoption of the ISO's approach to regulation and other
changes to the manner in which the FDA regulates medical devices will increase
the cost of compliance with those regulations.
 
    Efforts to reduce health care costs are also being made in the private
sector. Health care providers have responded by instituting various cost
reduction and containment measures.
 
    It is not possible to predict the extent to which the Company or the health
care industry in general might be affected by the matters discussed above.
 
                            INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS
 
    The Company markets products in approximately 130 countries through
affiliates and distributors. Most of the products discussed in the preceding
sections of this report are also sold outside the United States. In addition,
certain products of a local nature and variations of product lines to meet local
regulatory requirements and marketing preferences are manufactured and marketed
to customers outside the United States. International operations are subject to
certain additional risks inherent in conducting business outside the United
States, including price and currency exchange controls, changes in currency
exchange rates, limitations on foreign participation in local enterprises,
expropriation, nationalization, and other governmental action.
 
                                       6
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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
 
    The Company's corporate offices are located at 100 Abbott Park Road, Abbott
Park, Illinois 60064-3500. The locations of the Company's principal plants are
listed below.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                        LOCATION                                   INDUSTRY SEGMENTS OF PRODUCTS PRODUCED
- --------------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------------------
 
<S>                                                       <C>
Abbott Park, Illinois                                     Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products, and Hospital
                                                            and Laboratory Products
 
Altavista, Virginia                                       Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products
 
Austin, Texas                                             Hospital and Laboratory Products
 
Barceloneta, Puerto Rico                                  Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products, and Hospital
                                                            and Laboratory Products
 
Campoverde, Italy                                         Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products, and Hospital
                                                            and Laboratory Products
 
Casa Grande, Arizona                                      Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products
 
Columbus, Ohio                                            Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products
 
Delkenheim, Germany                                       Hospital and Laboratory Products
 
Irving, Texas                                             Hospital and Laboratory Products
 
Laurinburg, North Carolina                                Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products, and Hospital
                                                            and Laboratory Products
 
Mexico City, Mexico                                       Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products, and Hospital
                                                            and Laboratory Products
 
Montreal, Canada                                          Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products, and Hospital
                                                            and Laboratory Products
 
Morgan Hill, California                                   Hospital and Laboratory Products
 
North Chicago, Illinois                                   Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products, and Hospital
                                                            and Laboratory Products
 
Queenborough, England                                     Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products, and Hospital
                                                            and Laboratory Products
 
Rocky Mount, North Carolina                               Hospital and Laboratory Products
 
Salt Lake City, Utah                                      Hospital and Laboratory Products
 
Santa Clara, California                                   Hospital and Laboratory Products
 
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic                         Hospital and Laboratory Products
 
Sligo/Donegal/Cootehill/Finisklin, Ireland                Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products, and Hospital
                                                            and Laboratory Products
 
Sturgis, Michigan                                         Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products
 
St. Remy, France                                          Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products, and Hospital
                                                            and Laboratory Products
 
Tokyo, Japan                                              Hospital and Laboratory Products
 
Zwolle, The Netherlands                                   Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products
</TABLE>
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
    In addition to the above, the Company has manufacturing facilities in six
other locations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Overseas manufacturing
facilities are located in thirteen other countries. The Company's facilities are
deemed suitable, provide adequate productive capacity, and are utilized at
normal and acceptable levels.
 
    In the United States and Puerto Rico, the Company owns five distribution
centers. The Company also has twelve United States research and development
facilities located at Abbott Park, Illinois; Ashland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio (2
locations); Irving, Texas; Long Grove, Illinois; Madera, California; Morgan
Hill, California; North Chicago, Illinois; Salt Lake City, Utah; Bedford,
Massachusetts; and Santa Clara, California. Overseas, the Company has research
and development facilities in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy,
Japan, The Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.
 
    The corporate offices, and those principal plants in the United States that
are listed above, are owned. The remaining manufacturing plants and all other
facilities are owned or leased by the Company or subsidiaries of the Company.
 
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
    The Company is involved in various claims and legal proceedings, including
(as of January 31, 1997) 6 antitrust suits and 5 investigations in connection
with the Company's sale and marketing of infant formula products, and 142
antitrust suits and two investigations in connection with the Company's pricing
of prescription pharmaceuticals. The Company was also involved in a civil
proceeding involving certain Illinois environmental laws.
 
    The infant formula antitrust suits allege that the Company conspired with
one or more of its competitors to fix prices, restrain trade and monopolize the
market for infant formula products in violation of state and federal antitrust
laws. The suits have been brought on behalf of individuals, the Nestle Food
Company, and state government agencies and name the Company, certain other
infant formula manufacturers and, in some instances, the American Academy of
Pediatrics as defendants. The cases seek treble damages, civil penalties and
other relief.
 
    In its 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1996, the Company reported that
it had entered into a settlement agreement with plaintiffs involving 20 infant
formula antitrust cases that had been pending in 17 states. Each individual
state settlement, except Mississippi, is subject to approval by the individual
state courts. Courts in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky,
Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia
and Wisconsin have now given their final approval to their respective state
settlements. Courts have not yet given their final approval for the cases
pending in Alabama, Michigan, and Nevada. The court in Louisiana denied final
approval on January 22, 1997. An infant formula antitrust case is also pending
in Federal District Court in Massachusetts. It purports to be a statewide
consumer class action. The case that was pending in Federal District Court in
Tallahassee, Florida was dismissed. On June 19, 1995, a jury in federal court in
Los Angeles, California found in favor of the Company and the American Academy
of Pediatrics in the infant formula antitrust case brought by Nestle Food
Company. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the jury's verdict on
January 9, 1997. Nestle has the right to petition for certiorari to the United
States Supreme Court. The shareholder derivative suit that had been pending in
state court in Cook County, Illinois was dismissed on December 15, 1995. The
shareholder derivative suit named all of the Company's present directors (other
than Allen F. Jacobson) and a former executive officer as defendants and alleged
that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Company by permitting
antitrust violations in connection with the Company's sale and marketing of
infant formula products. The court dismissed this lawsuit. The appeal of the
dismissal was voluntarily dismissed on May 22, 1996. The investigations are
being conducted by the Attorneys General of the states of California,
Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
    As of January 31, 1997, 118 prescription pharmaceutical pricing antitrust
cases were pending in federal court, 23 were pending in state courts, and 1 was
pending in a District of Columbia court. The prescription pharmaceutical pricing
antitrust suits allege that various pharmaceutical manufacturers have conspired
to fix prices for prescription pharmaceuticals and/or to discriminate in pricing
to retail pharmacies by providing discounts to mail-order pharmacies,
institutional pharmacies and HMOs in violation of state and federal antitrust
laws. The suits have been brought on behalf of individuals and retail pharmacies
and name both the Company and certain other pharmaceutical manufacturers and
pharmaceutical wholesalers and at least one mail-order pharmacy company as
defendants. The cases seek treble damages, civil penalties, injunctive and other
relief. The Company has filed or intends to file a response to each of the
complaints denying all substantive allegations. The state cases are pending in
the following state courts: Clarke County, Alabama; Yavapai County, Arizona;
Alameda County, California; Monterey County, California; San Francisco County,
California (8 cases); San Joaquin County, California; Dade County, Florida;
Johnson County, Kansas; Cumberland County, Maine; Oakland County, Michigan;
Hennepin County, Minnesota (2 cases); and Dane County and Washington County,
Wisconsin. A case is also pending in the Superior Court for the District of
Columbia. The cases which had been pending in New York County, New York and King
County, Washington have been dismissed and are now on appeal. The case pending
in Greene County, Alabama was removed to the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Illinois. The plaintiffs have sought an interlocutory
appeal of the removal order. The federal cases are pending in the United States
District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under the Multidistrict
Litigation Rules as IN RE: BRAND NAME PRESCRIPTION DRUG ANTITRUST LITIGATION,
MDL 997. One of the cases which is pending in the MDL 997 litigation has been
certified as a class action on behalf of certain retail pharmacies. A number of
appeals to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals have been filed arising out of
the MDL 997 litigation. All litigation in the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Illinois is stayed pending the resolution of the appeals.
The investigations are being conducted by the Attorney General of Illinois and
the Federal Trade Commission.
 
    On March 31, 1995, the Illinois Attorney General informed the Company that
it proposed the assessment of a civil penalty of $750,000 in connection with an
administrative enforcement action initiated in May of 1993 by the Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency (the "IEPA") against the Company. The
enforcement action alleged that the Company violated its waste water discharge
permits and certain Illinois environmental laws at its North Chicago, Illinois
facility. On May 9, 1996, the Company and the Illinois Attorney General
concluded the action by executing a settlement agreement. Under the settlement
agreement, the Company did not admit liability but did agree to pay a civil
penalty of $400,000 to the IEPA, to pay an additional $200,000 to the state of
Illinois for the purchase of land for use as a wetlands preserve, and to take
further steps to reduce the chances of an unlawful discharge of waste water from
the North Chicago, Illinois facility.
 
    While it is not feasible to predict the outcome of such pending claims,
proceedings, and investigations with certainty, management is of the opinion
that their ultimate disposition should not have a material adverse effect on the
Company's financial position, cash flows, or results of operations.
 
ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
 
    None.
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
                      EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
 
    Officers of the Company are elected annually by the board of directors at
the first meeting held after the annual shareholders meeting. Each officer holds
office until a successor has been duly elected and qualified or until the
officer's death, resignation, or removal. Vacancies may be filled at any meeting
of the board. Any officer may be removed by the board of directors when, in its
judgment, removal would serve the best interests of the Company.
 
    Current corporate officers, and their ages as of February 14, 1997, are
listed below. The officers' principal occupations and employment from January
1992 to the present and the dates of their first election as officers of the
Company are also shown. Unless otherwise stated, employment was by the Company
for the period indicated. There are no family relationships between any
corporate officers or directors.
 
DUANE L. BURNHAM**, 55
 
    1992 to present -- Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, and
                      Director.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1982.
 
THOMAS R. HODGSON**, 55
 
    1992 to present -- President and Chief Operating Officer, and Director.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1980.
 
JOY A. AMUNDSON**, 42
 
    1992 to 1994 -- Vice President, Corporate Hospital Marketing.
 
    1994 to 1995 -- Vice President, HealthSystems.
 
    1995 to present -- Senior Vice President, Chemical and Agricultural
                      Products.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1990.
 
PAUL N. CLARK**, 50
 
    1992 to present -- Senior Vice President, Pharmaceutical Operations.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1985.
 
GARY P. COUGHLAN**, 52
 
    1992 to present -- Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial
                      Officer.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1990.
 
JOSE M. DE LASA**, 55
 
    1992 to 1994 -- Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Bristol-Myers
                   Squibb Company (Health and personal care products company).
 
    1994 -- Vice President, Secretary and Associate General Counsel,
           Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
 
    1994 to present -- Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1994.
 
JOHN G. KRINGEL**, 57
 
    1992 to present -- Senior Vice President, Hospital Products.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1981.
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
THOMAS M. MCNALLY**, 49
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Senior Vice President, Chemical and Agricultural Products.
 
    1993 to present -- Senior Vice President, Ross Products.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1989.
 
ROBERT L. PARKINSON, JR.**, 46
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Vice President, European Operations.
 
    1993 to 1995 -- Senior Vice President, Chemical and Agricultural Products.
 
    1995 to present -- Senior Vice President, International Operations.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1989.
 
ELLEN M. WALVOORD**, 57
 
    1992 to 1995 -- Vice President, Investor Relations and Public Affairs.
 
    1995 to present -- Senior Vice President, Human Resources.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1991.
 
MILES D. WHITE**, 41
 
    1992 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Hospital Laboratory
           Sector.
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Diagnostic
                   Systems and Operations.
 
    1993 to 1994 -- Vice President, Diagnostic Systems and Operations.
 
    1994 to present -- Senior Vice President, Diagnostic Operations.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1993.
 
CATHERINE V. BABINGTON**, 44
 
    1992 to 1995 -- Director, Corporate Communications.
 
    1995 to present -- Vice President, Investor Relations and Public Affairs.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1995.
 
PATRICK J. BALTHROP, 40
 
    1992 to 1995 -- Divisional Vice President and Sector General Manager,
                   Diagnostic Products.
 
    1995 to 1996 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, U.S. and
                   Canada, Diagnostic Products.
 
    1996 to present -- Vice President, Diagnostic Operations, U.S. and Canada.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1996.
 
MARK E. BARMAK, 55
 
    1992 to 1995 -- Divisional Vice President and Associate General Counsel,
                   Litigation.
 
    1995 to present -- Vice President, Litigation and Government Affairs.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1995.
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
CHRISTOPHER B. BEGLEY, 44
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Hospital
                   Products Business Sector.
 
    1993 to 1996 -- Vice President, Hospital Products Business Sector.
 
    1996 to present -- Vice President, MediSense Operations.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1993.
 
THOMAS D. BROWN, 48
 
    1992 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Western Hemisphere.
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President, Diagnostic Commercial Operations.
 
    1993 to present -- Vice President, Diagnostic Commercial Operations.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1993.
 
GARY R. BYERS**, 55
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President, Corporate Auditing.
 
    1993 to present -- Vice President, Internal Audit.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1993.
 
WILLIAM G. DEMPSEY, 45
 
    1992 to 1995 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Abbott
                   Critical Care Systems.
 
    1995 to 1996 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Hospital
                   Products Business Sector.
 
    1996 to present -- Vice President, Hospital Products Business Sector.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1996.
 
KENNETH W. FARMER**, 51
 
    1992 to present -- Vice President, Management Information Services and
                      Administration.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1985.
 
THOMAS C. FREYMAN**, 42
 
    1992 to present -- Vice President and Treasurer.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1991.
 
DAVID B. GOFFREDO, 42
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President, Pharmaceutical Products
                   Marketing.
 
    1993 to 1995 -- Divisional Vice President, Pharmaceutical Products Sales and
                   Marketing.
 
    1995 to present -- Vice President, Pharmaceutical Products Sales and
                      Marketing.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1995.
 
RICHARD A. GONZALEZ**, 43
 
    1992 to 1995 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, U.S. and
                   Canada Diagnostics.
 
    1995 to present -- Vice President, HealthSystems.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1995.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
GUILLERMO A. HERRERA, 43
 
    1992 to 1994 -- Regional Director, Europe, Abbott International.
 
    1994 -- General Manager, Abbott Spain and Portugal.
 
    1994 to 1996 -- Area Vice President, Latin America.
 
    1996 to present -- Vice President, Latin America Operations.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1996.
 
ARTHUR J. HIGGINS, 40
 
    1992 to 1994 -- Regional Director, Europe, Africa, and Middle East.
 
    1994 to 1995 -- Divisional Vice President, Commercial Operations.
 
    1995 to 1996 -- Divisional Vice President, Pacific, Asia, and Africa
Operations.
 
    1996 to present -- Vice President, Pacific, Asia, and Africa Operations.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1996.
 
JAY B. JOHNSTON, 53
 
    1992 -- President, Dainabot Co., Ltd. (an affiliate of the Company) and
           General Manager, Asia Pacific, Abbott Diagnostics Division.
 
    1992 -- Divisional Vice President, Business Development.
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Diagnostic
                   Assays and Operations.
 
    1993 to present -- Vice President, Diagnostic Assays and Systems.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1993.
 
JAMES J. KOZIARZ, 48
 
    1992 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Diagnostic Assays.
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President, Diagnostic Products Research and
                   Development.
 
    1993 to present -- Vice President, Diagnostic Products Research and
                      Development.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1993.
 
JOHN F. LUSSEN**, 55
 
    1992 to present -- Vice President, Taxes.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1985.
 
EDWARD L. MICHAEL, 39
 
    1992 to 1994 -- Business Unit Manager.
 
    1995 to 1996 -- Director, Area Operations and Scientific Development.
 
    1997 to present -- Vice President, Diagnostic Operations, Europe, Africa,
                      and Middle East.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1997.
 
THEODORE A. OLSON**, 58
 
    1992 to present -- Vice President and Controller.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1988.
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
ANDRE G. PERNET, 52
 
    1992 -- Divisional Vice President, Therapeutic Area Ventures, Pharmaceutical
           Products Division.
 
    1992 to 1994 -- Divisional Vice President, Pharmaceutical Development,
                   Pharmaceutical Products Division.
 
    1994 to present -- Vice President, Pharmaceutical Products Research and
                      Development.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1994.
 
CARL A. SPALDING, 51
 
    1992 -- Vice President, International, Johnson & Johnson (manufacturer of
           health care products serving the consumer, pharmaceutical and
           professional markets).
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Ross
                   Pediatric Products.
 
    1993 to present -- Vice President, Ross Pediatric Products.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1993.
 
WILLIAM H. STADTLANDER, 51
 
    1992 -- Divisional Vice President, Medical Nutritionals.
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Medical
                   Nutritionals.
 
    1993 to present -- Vice President, Ross Medical Nutritional Products.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1993.
 
MARCIA A. THOMAS **, 49
 
    1992 to 1995 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Infectious
                   Diseases Diagnostics.
 
    1995 to 1996 -- Divisional Vice President, Quality Assurance and Regulatory
                   Affairs, Diagnostics Division.
 
    1996 to present -- Vice President, Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1996.
 
H. THOMAS WATKINS, 44
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President and Sector General Manager,
                   Diagnostics Division.
 
    1994 to 1996 -- Divisional Vice President and General Manager, Asia and
                   Pacific Diagnostics.
 
    1996 to present -- Vice President, Diagnostic Operations, Asia and Pacific.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1996.
 
STEVEN J. WEGER, JR.**, 52
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Director, Strategic Planning, Diagnostics Division.
 
    1994 to 1996 -- Divisional Vice President, Strategic Planning and Technology
                   Assessment, Diagnostics Division.
 
    1996 to present -- Vice President, Corporate Planning and Development.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1996.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
JOSEF WENDLER, 47
 
    1992 -- Regional Director, Europe, Diagnostics Division.
 
    1992 to 1993 -- Divisional Vice President, Pacific, Asia, and Africa.
 
    1993 to 1995 -- Vice President, Pacific, Asia, and Africa Operations.
 
    1995 to present -- Vice President, European Operations.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer 1993.
 
LANCE B. WYATT**, 52
 
    1992 to 1995 -- Divisional Vice President, Quality Assurance and Regulatory
                   Affairs.
 
    1995 to present -- Vice President, Corporate Engineering.
 
    Elected Corporate Officer -- 1995.
 
- ------------------------
 
**  Pursuant to Item 401(b) of Regulation S-K the Company has identified these
    persons as "executive officers" within the meaning of Item 401(b).
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
                                    PART II
 
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED
       STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
 
PRINCIPAL MARKET
 
    The principal market for the Company's common shares is the New York Stock
Exchange. Shares are also listed on the Chicago and Pacific Stock Exchanges and
are traded on the Boston, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia Exchanges. Overseas, the
Company's shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Swiss Stock
Exchange.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                       MARKET PRICE PER SHARE
                                                                             ------------------------------------------
<S>                                                                          <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
                                                                                     1996                  1995
                                                                             --------------------  --------------------
                                                                               HIGH        LOW       HIGH        LOW
                                                                             ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
First Quarter..............................................................     44 3/4     38 1/8     38 3/8     30 5/8
Second Quarter.............................................................     43 7/8     38 5/8     42 3/8     35 5/8
Third Quarter..............................................................     49 3/4     41 3/8     43 7/8     36 1/8
Fourth Quarter.............................................................     57 3/8     48 3/4     44 3/4     38 1/2
</TABLE>
 
    Market prices are as reported by the New York Stock Exchange composite
transaction reporting system.
 
SHAREHOLDERS
 
    There were 99,513 shareholders of record of Abbott common shares as of
December 31, 1996.
 
DIVIDENDS
 
    Quarterly dividends of $.24 per share and $.21 per share were declared on
common shares in 1996 and 1995, respectively.
 
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
 
    Incorporated herein by reference for the years 1992 through 1996 are the
applicable portions of the section captioned "Summary of Selected Financial
Data" of the 1996 Annual Report.
 
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS
        OF OPERATIONS
 
    Incorporated herein by reference is management's discussion and analysis of
financial condition and results of operations for the years 1996, 1995, and 1994
found under the section captioned "Financial Review" of the 1996 Annual Report.
 
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
 
    Incorporated herein by reference are the portions of the 1996 Annual Report
captioned Consolidated Balance Sheet, Consolidated Statement of Earnings,
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, Consolidated Statement of Shareholders'
Investment, Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and Report of Independent
Public Accountants (which contains the related report of Arthur Andersen LLP
dated January 15, 1997). Data relating to quarterly results is found in Note 8.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
ITEM 9. DISAGREEMENTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
 
    None.
 
                                    PART III
 
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
 
    Incorporated herein by reference are "Committees of the Board of Directors,"
and "Information Concerning Nominees for Directors" found in the 1997 Abbott
Laboratories Proxy Statement (1997 Proxy Statement).
 
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
    The material in the 1997 Proxy Statement under the heading "Executive
Compensation," other than the Report of the Compensation Committee, the
Performance Graph, and Security Ownership of Officers and Directors are hereby
incorporated by reference.
 
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
 
    Incorporated herein by reference is the text found under the caption
"Information Concerning Security Ownership" and the material under the heading
"Security Ownership of Executive Officers and Directors" in the 1997 Proxy
Statement.
 
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
 
    None.
 
                                    PART IV
 
ITEM 14. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES, AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K
 
    (a) DOCUMENTS FILED AS PART OF THIS FORM 10-K.
 
    1.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:  The Consolidated Financial Statements for the
years ended December 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994 and the related report of Arthur
Andersen LLP dated January 15, 1997, appearing under the portions of the 1996
Annual Report captioned Consolidated Balance Sheet, Consolidated Statement of
Earnings, Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, Consolidated Statement of
Shareholders' Investment, Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and Report
of Independent Public Accountants, respectively, are incorporated by reference
in response to Item 14(a)1. With the exception of the portions of the 1996
Annual Report specifically incorporated herein by reference, such Report shall
not be deemed filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or otherwise
deemed subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934.
 
    2.  FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES:  The required financial statement
schedules are found on the pages indicated below. These schedules should be read
in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements in the 1996 Annual
Report:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SCHEDULES                                                                                         PAGE NO.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------------
<S>                                                                                             <C>
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Schedule II)                                                          23
Schedules I, III, IV, and V are not submitted because they are not applicable or not required.
Supplemental Report of Independent Public Accountants                                                    24
Individual Financial Statements of the registrant have been omitted pursuant to Rule 3.05,
 paragraph (1) of Regulation S-X.
</TABLE>
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
    3.  EXHIBITS REQUIRED BY ITEM 601 OF REGULATION S-K:  The information called
for by this paragraph is incorporated herein by reference to the Exhibit Index
on pages 21 and 22 of this Form 10-K.
 
    (b) REPORTS ON FORM 8-K DURING THE QUARTER ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996:
 
    No reports on Form 8-K were filed during the quarter ended December 31,
1996.
 
    (c) EXHIBITS FILED (SEE EXHIBIT INDEX ON PAGES 21 AND 22).
 
    (d) FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES FILED (PAGE 23).
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES
 
    Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, Abbott Laboratories has duly caused this report to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
                                          ABBOTT LABORATORIES
 
                                          By /s/ DUANE L. BURNHAM
                                             Duane L. Burnham
                                             Chairman of the Board and
                                             Chief Executive Officer
 
                                             Date: February 14, 1997
 
    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this
report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of Abbott
Laboratories on February 14, 1997 in the capacities indicated below.
 
/s/ DUANE L. BURNHAM
Duane L. Burnham
Chairman of the Board,
Chief Executive Officer and
Director of Abbott Laboratories
(principal executive officer)
 
/s/ GARY P. COUGHLAN
Gary P. Coughlan
Senior Vice President, Finance and
Chief Financial Officer
(principal financial officer)
 
/s/ THOMAS R. HODGSON
Thomas R. Hodgson
President, Chief Operating Officer
and Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
/s/ THEODORE A. OLSON
Theodore A. Olson
Vice President and Controller
(principal accounting officer)
 
/s/ K. FRANK AUSTEN, M.D.
K. Frank Austen, M.D.
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
/s/ H. LAURANCE FULLER
H. Laurance Fuller
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
/s/ ALLEN F. JACOBSON
Allen F. Jacobson
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
/s/ DAVID A. JONES
David A. Jones
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
/s/ DAVID A. L. OWEN
David A. L. Owen
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
/s/ BOONE POWELL, JR.
Boone Powell, Jr.
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
/s/ A. BARRY RAND
A. Barry Rand
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
/s/ W. ANN REYNOLDS
W. Ann Reynolds
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
/s/ WILLIAM D. SMITHBURG
William D. Smithburg
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
/s/ JOHN R. WALTER
John R. Walter
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
/s/ WILLIAM L. WEISS
William L. Weiss
Director of Abbott Laboratories
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                              ABBOTT LABORATORIES
                                 ANNUAL REPORT
                                   FORM 10-K
                                      1996
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  10-K
 EXHIBIT
  TABLE
ITEM NO.
- ---------
<S>        <C>
 3.1       * Articles of Incorporation-Abbott Laboratories, filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Abbott Laboratories
             Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Quarter ended March 31, 1994.
 
 3.2       Corporate ByLaws-Abbott Laboratories.
 
 4.1       * Indenture dated as of October 1, 1993 between Abbott Laboratories and Harris Trust and Savings Bank,
             filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Abbott Laboratories Quarterly Report for the Quarter ended September 30,
             1993 on Form 10-Q.
 
 4.2       * Form of 5.6% Note issued pursuant to the Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Abbott Laboratories
             Quarterly Report for the Quarter ended September 30, 1993 on Form 10-Q.
 
 4.3       * Form of Medium-Term Note, Series A (Fixed Rate) to be issued pursuant to the Indenture filed as
             Exhibit 4.3 to the Abbott Laboratories Quarterly Report for the Quarter ended September 30, 1993 on
             Form 10-Q.
 
 4.4       * Form of Medium-Term Note, Series A (Floating Rate) to be issued pursuant to the Indenture filed as
             Exhibit 4.4 to the Abbott Laboratories Quarterly Report for the Quarter ended September 30, 1993 on
             Form 10-Q.
 
 4.5       * Resolution of the Company's Board of Directors filed as Exhibit 4.5 to the Abbott Laboratories
             Quarterly Report for the Quarter ended September 30, 1993 on Form 10-Q.
 
 4.6       * Actions of the Authorized Officers with respect to the Company's $200,000,000 5.6% Notes filed as
             Exhibit 4.6 to the Abbott Laboratories Quarterly Report for the Quarter ended September 30, 1993 on
             Form 10-Q.
 
 4.7       * Actions of the Authorized Officers with respect to the Company's Medium-Term Notes, Series A filed as
             Exhibit 4.7 to the Abbott Laboratories Quarterly Report for the Quarter ended September 30, 1993 on
             Form 10-Q.
 
 4.8       * Officers' Certificate and Company Order with respect to the Company's $200,000,000 5.6% Notes filed as
             Exhibit 4.8 to the Abbott Laboratories Quarterly Report for the Quarter ended September 30, 1993 on
             Form 10-Q.
 
 4.9       * Form of 6.8% Note issued pursuant to Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.9 to the 1995 Abbott Laboratories
             Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
 4.10      * Actions of Authorized Officers with respect to the Company's $150,000,000 6.8% Notes filed as Exhibit
             4.10 to the 1995 Abbott Laboratories Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
 4.11      * Officers' Certificate and Company Order with respect to the Company's $150,000,000 6.8% Notes filed as
             Exhibit 4.11 to the 1995 Abbott Laboratories Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
 4.12      Resolution of the Company's Board of Directors relating to the 6.4% Notes.
 
 4.13      Form of $50,000,000 6.4% Note issued pursuant to Indenture.
 
 4.14      Form of $200,000,000 6.4% Note issued pursuant to Indenture.
 
 4.15      Actions of Authorized Officers with respect to the Company's 6.4% Notes.
 
 4.16      Officers' Certificate and Company Order with respect to the Company's 6.4% Notes.
</TABLE>
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  10-K
 EXHIBIT
  TABLE
ITEM NO.
- ---------
<S>        <C>
           Other debt instruments are omitted in accordance with Item 601(b)(4)(iii)(A) of Regulation S-K. Copies
             of such agreements will be furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.
 
10.1       * Supplemental Plan Abbott Laboratories Extended Disability Plan, filed as an exhibit (pages 50-51) to
             the 1992 Abbott Laboratories Annual Report on Form 10-K.**
 
10.2       * The Abbott Laboratories 1986 Incentive Stock Program, filed as an exhibit (pages 37-59) to the 1989
             Abbott Laboratories Annual Report on Form 10-K.**
 
10.3       * The Abbott Laboratories 1991 Incentive Stock Program, filed as an exhibit (pages 128-149) to the 1990
             Abbott Laboratories Annual Report on Form 10-K.**
 
10.4       * Consulting agreement between Abbott Laboratories and K. Frank Austen, M.D. dated September 13, 1991,
             filed as an exhibit (pages 63-66) to the 1992 Abbott Laboratories Annual Report on Form 10-K.**
 
10.5       * Abbott Laboratories 401(k) Supplemental Plan, filed as Exhibit 10.7 to the Abbott Laboratories 1993
             Annual Report on Form 10-K.**
 
10.6       Abbott Laboratories Supplemental Pension Plan.**
 
10.7       The 1986 Abbott Laboratories Management Incentive Plan.**
 
10.8       * Abbott Laboratories Non-Employee Directors' Fee Plan, filed as Exhibit 10.10 to the Abbott
             Laboratories 1993 Annual Report on Form 10-K.**
 
10.9       * The Abbott Laboratories 1996 Incentive Stock Program, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Abbott Laboratories
             Quarterly Report for the Quarter ended June 30, 1996 on Form 10-Q.**
 
11         Calculation of Fully Diluted Earnings Per Share.
 
12         Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
 
13         The portions of the Abbott Laboratories Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 1996 captioned
             Financial Review, Consolidated Balance Sheet, Consolidated Statement of Earnings, Consolidated
             Statement of Cash Flows, Consolidated Statement of Shareholders' Investment, Notes to Consolidated
             Financial Statements, Report of Independent Public Accountants, and the applicable portions of the
             section captioned Summary of Financial Data for the years 1992 through 1996.
 
21         Subsidiaries of Abbott Laboratories.
 
23         Consent of Independent Public Accountants.
 
27         Financial Data Schedule.
 
           The 1997 Abbott Laboratories Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
             under separate cover on or about March 11, 1997.
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
*   Incorporated herein by reference.
 
**  Denotes management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement required to
    be filed as an exhibit hereto.
 
    The Company will furnish copies of any of the above exhibits to a
shareholder upon written request to the Corporate Secretary, Abbott
Laboratories, 100 Abbott Park Road, Abbott Park, Illinois 60064-3500.
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
                      ABBOTT LABORATORIES AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 SCHEDULE II--VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
             FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996, 1995, AND 1994
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           AMOUNTS
                                                                BALANCE AT  PROVISIONS   CHARGED OFF,
ALLOWANCES FOR DOUBTFUL                                         BEGINNING   CHARGED TO      NET OF     BALANCE AT
ACCOUNTS AND SALES DEDUCTIONS                                    OF YEAR    INCOME (A)    RECOVERIES   END OF YEAR
- --------------------------------------------------------------  ----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
<S>                                                             <C>         <C>          <C>           <C>
1996                                                            $  157,990   $   7,389    $  (11,955)   $ 153,424
                                                                ----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
                                                                ----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
1995                                                            $  128,929   $  32,462    $   (3,401)   $ 157,990
                                                                ----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
                                                                ----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
1994                                                            $  116,925   $  18,123    $   (6,119)   $ 128,929
                                                                ----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
                                                                ----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(a) Represents provisions related to allowances for doubtful accounts and the
    net change in the allowances for sales deductions.
 
                                       23

<PAGE>








                                       BY-LAWS
                                         O F
                                 ABBOTT LABORATORIES











                          Adopted by the Board of Directors
                            of Abbott Laboratories at the
                            Annual Meeting, April 11, 1963
                 as amended and restated, effective December 13, 1996




<PAGE>

                            BY-LAWS OF ABBOTT LABORATORIES


                                      ARTICLE I

                                       OFFICES

    The principal office of the Corporation in the State of Illinois shall be
located at the intersection of State Routes 43 and 137 in the County of Lake. 
The Corporation may have such other offices either within or without the State
of Illinois as the business of the Corporation may require from time to time.

    The registered office of the Corporation may be, but need not be, identical
with the principal office in the State of Illinois.  The address of the
registered office may be changed from time to time by the Board of Directors.


                                      ARTICLE II

                                     SHAREHOLDERS

    SECTION 1.  ANNUAL MEETING; TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS, NOMINATION OF
DIRECTORS.  The annual meeting of the shareholders shall be held in the month of
April in each year on such date and at such time as the Board of Directors shall
provide.  The meeting shall be held for the purpose of electing Directors and
for the transaction of such other business as is properly brought before the
meeting in accordance with these By-Laws.  If the election of Directors shall
not be held on the day designated for any annual meeting, or at any adjournment
thereof, the Board of Directors shall cause the election to be held at a meeting
of the shareholders as soon thereafter as conveniently may be.

    To be properly brought before the meeting, business must be either (a)
specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at
the direction of the Board of Directors, (b) otherwise properly brought before
the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (c) otherwise
properly brought before the meeting by a shareholder.  In addition to any other
applicable requirements, for business to be properly brought before an annual
meeting by a shareholder, the shareholder must have given timely notice thereof
in writing to the Secretary.  To be timely, a shareholder's notice must be
delivered to or mailed and received at the principal office of the Corporation,
not earlier than October 1 nor later than February 15 immediately prior to the
date of the meeting; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the event that the date of such
meeting is not in the month of April and less than sixty-five days' notice or
prior public disclosure of the date of the meeting is given or made to
shareholders, notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so received not
later than the close of business on the fifteenth day following the day on which
such notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or such public
disclosure was made, whichever first occurs.  A shareholder's notice to the
Secretary shall set forth as to each matter the shareholder proposes to bring
before the annual meeting (i) a brief description of the business desired to be
brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such business
at the annual meeting, (ii) the name and record address of the shareholder
proposing such business, (iii) the class and number of shares of the Corporation
which are beneficially owned by the shareholder and (iv) any material interest
of the shareholder in such business.

    Notwithstanding anything in these By-Laws to the contrary, no business
shall be conducted at the annual meeting except in accordance with the
procedures set forth in this Section

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BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 2

1, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that nothing in this Section 1 shall be deemed to 
preclude discussion by any shareholder of any business properly brought 
before the annual meeting.

    The Chairman of an annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine
and declare to the meeting that business was not properly brought before the
meeting in accordance with the provisions of this Section 1, and if he should so
determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and such business not properly
brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.

    Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures
shall be eligible for election as directors.  Nominations of persons for
election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation at the annual meeting may
be made at such annual meeting of shareholders by or at the direction of the
Board of Directors, by any nominating committee or person appointed by the Board
of Directors, or by any shareholder of the Corporation entitled to vote for the
election of directors at such meeting who complies with the notice procedures
set forth in this Section 1.  Such nominations, other than those made by or at
the direction of the Board of Directors or by a committee or person appointed by
the Board of Directors, shall be made pursuant to timely notice in writing to
the Secretary.  To be timely, a shareholder's notice shall be delivered to or
mailed and received at the principal office of the Corporation not earlier than
October 1 nor later than February 15 immediately prior to that date of the
meeting; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the event that the date of such meeting is
not in the month of April and less than sixty-five days' notice or prior public
disclosure of the date of the meeting is given or made to shareholders, notice
by the shareholder to be timely must be so received not later than the close of
business on the fifteenth day following the day on which such notice of the date
of the meeting was mailed or such public disclosure was made, whichever first
occurs.  Such shareholder's notice to the Secretary shall set forth:  (a) as to
each person whom the shareholder proposes to nominate for election or
re-election as a director, (i) the name, age, business address and residence
address of the person, (ii) the principal occupation or employment of the
person, (iii) the class and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation
which are beneficially owned by the person and (iv) any other information
relating to the person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations for
proxies for election of directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and (b) as to the shareholder
giving the notice, (i) the name and record address of such shareholder and (ii)
the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are beneficially owned
by such shareholder.  The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to
furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation
to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as director of
the Corporation.  No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the
Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth herein.


    The Chairman of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and
declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the
foregoing procedure, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the
meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded.

    SECTION 2.  SPECIAL MEETINGS.  Special meetings of the shareholders may be
called by the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Board of Directors or by
the holders of not less than one-fifth of all the outstanding shares entitled to
vote on the matter for which the meeting is called.

    SECTION 3.  PLACE OF MEETING.  The Board of Directors may designate any
place, either within or without the State of Illinois, as the place of meeting
for any annual meeting or for any special meeting called by the Board of
Directors.  If no designation is made, or if a special

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BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 3

meeting be otherwise called, the place of meeting shall be the principal 
office of the Corporation in the State of Illinois.

    SECTION 4.  NOTICE OF MEETINGS.  Written notice stating the place, day and
hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or
purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered not less than ten
nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting, or in the case of a
merger, consolidation, share exchange, dissolution or sale, lease or exchange of
assets not less than twenty nor more than sixty days before the meeting, either
personally or by mail, by or at the direction of the Chairman of the Board, the
President, or the Secretary or the persons calling the meeting, to each
shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting.  If mailed, such notice
shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail,
addressed to the shareholder at his or her address as it appears on the records
of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid.

    SECTION 5.  FIXING RECORD DATE.  For the purpose of determining
shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders, or
shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a
determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose, the Board of
Directors of the Corporation may fix in advance a date as the record date for
any such determination of shareholders, such date in any case to be not more
than sixty days and, for a meeting of shareholders, not less than ten days, or
in the case of a merger, consolidation, share exchange, dissolution or sale,
lease or exchange of assets not less than twenty days, immediately preceding
such meeting.

     SECTION 6.  VOTING LISTS.  The Secretary shall make, or cause to have
made, within twenty days after the record date for a meeting of shareholders or
ten days before such meeting, whichever is earlier, a complete list of the
shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting, arranged in alphabetical order,
with the address of and the number of shares held by each, which list, for a
period of ten days prior to such meeting, shall be kept on file at the
registered office of the Corporation and shall be subject to inspection by any
shareholder and to copying at the shareholder's expense, at any time during
usual business hours.  Such list shall also be produced and kept open at the
time and place of the meeting and shall be subject to the inspection of any
shareholder during the whole time of the meeting.  The original share ledger or
transfer book, or a duplicate thereof kept in this State, shall be prima facie
evidence as to who are the shareholders entitled to examine such list or share
ledger or transfer book or to vote at any meeting of shareholders.

    SECTION 7.  QUORUM.  A majority of the outstanding shares of the
Corporation entitled to vote on a matter, represented in person or by proxy,
shall constitute a quorum for consideration of such matter at a meeting of
shareholders.  If a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of the majority of
the shares represented at the meeting and entited to vote on a matter shall be
the act of the shareholders, unless the vote of a greater number or voting by
classes is required by The Business Corporation Act of 1983 or the Articles of
Incorporation, as in effect on the date of such determination.  If a quorum is
not present, a majority of the shares of the Corporation entitled to vote on a
matter and represented in person or by proxy at such meeting may adjourn the
meeting from time to time without further notice.

    SECTION 8.  PROXIES.  A shareholder may appoint a proxy to vote or
otherwise act for the shareholder by signing an appropriate form and delivering
it to the person so appointed; provided, however, no shareholder may name more
than three persons as proxies to attend and to vote the shareholder's shares at
any meeting of shareholders.  No proxy shall be valid after the expiration of
eleven months from the date thereof unless otherwise provided in the proxy. 
Each proxy continues in full force and effect until revoked by the person
executing it prior to the vote

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BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 4

pursuant thereto, except as otherwise provided by law.  Such revocation may 
be effected by a writing delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation 
stating that the proxy is revoked or by a subsequent proxy executed by, or by 
attendance at the meeting and voting in person by, the person executing the 
proxy.  The dates contained on the forms of proxy presumptively determine the 
order of execution, regardless of the postmark dates on the envelopes in 
which they were mailed.

    SECTION 9.  VOTING OF SHARES.  Each outstanding share, regardless of class,
shall be entitled to one vote in each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of
shareholders and, in all elections for Directors, every shareholder shall have
the right to vote the number of shares owned by such shareholder for as many
persons as there are Directors to be elected, or to cumulate such votes and give
one candidate as many votes as shall equal the number of Directors multiplied by
the number of such shares or to distribute such cumulative votes in any
proportion among any number of candidates; provided that, vacancies on the Board
of Directors may be filled as provided in Section 9, Article III of these
By-Laws.  A shareholder may vote either in person or by proxy.

    SECTION 10.  VOTING OF SHARES BY CERTAIN HOLDERS.  Shares of this
Corporation held by the Corporation in a fiduciary capacity may be voted and
shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares entitled
to vote at any given time.

    Shares registered in the name of another corporation, domestic or foreign,
may be voted by any officer, agent, proxy or other legal representative
authorized to vote such shares under the law of incorporation of such
corporation.

    Shares registered in the name of a deceased person, a minor ward or a
person under legal disability may be voted by his or her administrator,
executor, or court appointed guardian, either in person or by proxy without a
transfer of such shares into the name of such administrator, executor, or court
appointed guardian.  Shares registered in the name of a trustee may be voted by
him or her, either in person or by proxy.

    Shares registered in the name of a receiver may be voted by such receiver,
and shares held by or under the control of a receiver may be voted by such
receiver without the transfer thereof into his or her name if authority so to do
is contained in an appropriate order of the court by which such receiver was
appointed.

    A shareholder whose shares are pledged shall be entitled to vote such
shares until the shares have been transferred into the name of the pledgee, and
thereafter the pledgee shall be entitled to vote the shares so transferred.

    SECTION 11.  VOTING BY BALLOT.  Voting on any question or in any election
may be viva voce unless the presiding officer shall order that voting be by
ballot.

    SECTION 12.  INSPECTORS OF ELECTION.  The Board of Directors in advance of
any meeting of shareholders may appoint inspectors to act at such meeting or any
adjournment thereof.  If inspectors of election are not so appointed, the
officer or person acting as chairman at any such meeting may, and on the request
of any shareholder or his proxy, shall make such appointment.  In case any
person appointed as inspector shall fail to appear or to act, the vacancy may be
filled by appointment made by the Board of Directors in advance of the meeting
or at the meeting by the officer or person acting as chairman.

    Such inspectors shall ascertain and report the number of shares represented
at the meeting, based upon their determination of the validity and effect of
proxies; count all votes and

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BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 5

report the results; and do such other acts as are proper to conduct the 
election and voting with impartiality and fairness to all the shareholders.

    Each report of an inspector shall be in writing and signed by him or her or
by a majority of them if there be more than one inspector acting at such
meeting.  If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be
the report of the inspectors.  The report of the inspector or inspectors on the
number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall
be prima facie evidence thereof.


                                     ARTICLE III

                                      DIRECTORS

    SECTION l.  GENERAL POWERS.  The business and affairs of the Corporation
shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Directors.

    SECTION 2.  NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS.  The number of Directors of
the Corporation shall be thirteen.  The terms of all Directors shall expire at
the next annual meeting of shareholders following their election.  Despite the
expiration of a Director's term, he or she shall continue to serve until the
next meeting of shareholders at which Directors are elected.  Directors need not
be residents of Illinois or shareholders of the Corporation.

    SECTION 3.  REGULAR MEETINGS.  A regular annual meeting of the Board of
Directors shall be held without other notice than this By-Law, immediately
after, and at the same place as, the annual meeting of shareholders.  Other
regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at the principal office
of the Corporation on the second Friday of every month at 9:00 a.m. without
other notice than this By-Law.  The Board of Directors may provide, by
resolution, for the holding of the regular monthly meetings at a different time
and place, either within or without the State of Illinois, or for the omission
of the regular monthly meeting altogether.  Where the Board of Directors has, by
resolution, changed or omitted regular meetings, no other notice than such
resolution shall be given.

    SECTION 4.  SPECIAL MEETINGS.  Special meetings of the Board of Directors
may be called by or at the request of the Chairman of the Board, the Chairman of
the Executive Committee, the President, or of any four Directors.  The persons
authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors may fix any place,
either within or without the State of Illinois, as the place for holding any
special meeting of the Board of Directors.

    SECTION 5.  NOTICE.  Notice of any special meeting shall be given: (i) at
least one day prior thereto if the notice is given personally or by an
electronic transmission, (ii) at least two business days prior thereto if the
notice is given by having it delivered by a third party entity that provides
delivery services in the ordinary course of business and guarantees delivery of
the notice to the Director no later than the following business day, and (iii)
at least seven days prior thereto if the notice is given by mail.  For this
purpose, the term "electronic transmission" may include, but shall not be
limited to, a telex, facsimile, or other electronic means.  Notice shall be
delivered to the Director's business address and/or telephone number and shall
be deemed given upon electronic transmission, upon delivery to the third party
delivery service, or upon being deposited in the United States mail with postage
thereon prepaid.  Any Director may waive notice of any meeting by signing a
written waiver of notice either before or after the meeting.  Attendance of a
Director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting,
except where a Director attends a meeting for the

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BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 6

express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the 
meeting is not lawfully called or convened.  Neither the business to be 
transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the 
Board of Directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of 
such meeting.

    SECTION 6.  QUORUM.  A majority of the number of Directors fixed by these
By-Laws shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meeting of
the Board of Directors; provided, that if less than a majority of such number of
Directors are present at said meeting, a majority of the Directors present may
adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice.

    SECTION 7.  MANNER OF VOTING.  The act of the majority of the Directors
present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board
of Directors.

    SECTION 8.  INFORMAL ACTION BY DIRECTORS.  Any action required to be taken
at a meeting of the Board of Directors, or any other action which may be taken
at a meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, may be taken
without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken,
shall be signed by all of the Directors entitled to vote with respect to the
subject matter thereof, or by all the members of such committee, as the case may
be.

    The consent shall be evidenced by one or more written approvals, each of
which sets forth the action taken and bears the signature of one or more
Directors.  All the approvals evidencing the consent shall be delivered to the
Secretary of the Corporation to be filed in the corporate records.  The action
taken shall be effective when all the Directors have approved the consent unless
the consent specifies a different effective date.

    Any such consent signed by all the Directors or all the members of a
committee shall have the same effect as a unanimous vote.

    SECTION 9.  VACANCIES.  Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors and
any directorship to be filled by reason of an increase in the number of
Directors, may be filled by election at an annual meeting or at a special
meeting of shareholders called for that purpose.  A Director elected to fill a
vacancy shall serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders.  A majority
of Directors then in office may also fill one or more vacancies arising between
meetings of shareholders by reason of an increase in the number of Directors or
otherwise, and any Director so selected shall serve until the next annual
meeting of shareholders, provided that at no time may the number of Directors
selected to fill vacancies in this manner during any interim period between
meetings of shareholders exceed 33-1/3 per cent of the total membership of the
Board of Directors.

    SECTION 10.  PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT.  A Director of the Corporation who is
present at a meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof at which
action on any corporate matter is taken is conclusively presumed to have
assented to the action taken unless his or her dissent is entered in the minutes
of the meeting or unless he or she files his or her written dissent to such
action with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the
adjournment thereof or forwards such dissent by registered or certified mail to
the Secretary of the Corporation immediately after the adjournment of the
meeting.  Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favor
of such action.

    SECTION 11.  APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS.  Upon the recommendation of the Audit
Committee, the Board of Directors shall appoint annually a firm of independent
public accountants as auditors of the Corporation.  Such appointment shall be
submitted to the shareholders

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BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 7

for ratification at the Annual Meeting next following such appointment.  
Should the holders of a majority of the shares represented at the meeting 
fail to ratify the appointment of any firm as auditors of the Corporation, or 
should the Board of Directors for any reason determine that such appointment 
be terminated, the Board of Directors shall appoint another firm of 
independent public accountants to act as auditors of the Corporation and such 
appointment shall be submitted to the shareholders for ratification at the 
Annual or Special Shareholders Meeting next following such appointment.

                                      ARTICLE IV

                                      COMMITTEES

    SECTION 1.  APPOINTMENT.  A majority of the Board of Directors may create
one or more committees and appoint members of the Board to serve on the
committee or committees.  Each committee shall have three or more members, who
serve at the pleasure of the Board.  The Board shall designate one member of
each committee to be chairman of the committee.  The Board shall designate a
secretary of each committee who may be, but need not be, a member of the
committee or the Board.

    SECTION 2.  COMMITTEE MEETINGS.  A majority of any committee shall
constitute a quorum and a majority of the committee is necessary for committee
action.  A committee may act by unanimous consent in writing without a meeting. 
Committee meetings may be called by the Chairman of the Board, the chairman of
the committee, or any two of the committee's members.  The time and place of
committee meetings shall be designated in the notice of such meeting.  Notice of
each committee meeting shall be given to each committee member.  Each Committee
shall keep minutes of its proceedings and such minutes shall be distributed to
the Board of Directors.

    SECTION 3.  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.  The Board shall appoint an Executive
Committee.  A majority of the members of the Committee shall be selected from
those Directors who are not then serving as full-time employees of the
Corporation or any of its subsidiaries.

    SECTION 4.  DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.  The Executive Committee
may, when the Board of Directors is not in session, exercise the authority of
the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation;
provided, however, the Committee may not:

         (1)  authorize distributions;

         (2)  approve or recommend to shareholders any act the Business
Corporation Act of 1983 requires to be approved by shareholders;

         (3)  fill vacancies on the Board or on any of its committees;

         (4)  elect or remove Officers or fix the compensation of any member of
the Committee;

         (5)  adopt, amend or repeal the By-Laws;

         (6)  approve a plan of merger not requiring shareholder approval;

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BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 8

         (7)  authorize or approve reacquisition of shares, except according to
a general formula or method prescribed by the Board;

         (8)  authorize or approve the issuance or sale, or contract for sale,
of shares or determine the designation and relative rights, preferences, and
limitations of a series of shares, except that the Board may direct the
Committee to fix the specific terms of the issuance or sale or contract for sale
or the number of shares to be allocated to particular employees under an
employee benefit plan; or

         (9)  amend, alter, repeal, or take action inconsistent with any
resolution or action of the Board of Directors when the resolution or action of
the Board of Directors provides by its terms that it shall not be amended,
altered or repealed by action of the Committee.

    SECTION 5.  AUDIT COMMITTEE.  The Board of Directors shall appoint an Audit
Committee.  All of the members of the Committee shall be selected from those
Directors who are not then serving as full-time employees of the Corporation or
any of its subsidiaries.

    SECTION 6.  DUTIES OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.  The Audit Committee shall:

    (1)  recommend to the Board of Directors annually a firm of independent
public accountants to act as auditors of the Corporation;

    (2)  review with the auditors in advance the scope of and fees for their
annual audit;

    (3)  review with the auditors and the management, from time to time, the
Corporation's accounting principles, policies, and practices and its reporting
policies and practices;

    (4)  review with the auditors annually the results of their audit; and

    (5)  review from time to time with the auditors and the Corporation's
financial personnel the adequacy of the Corporation's accounting, financial and
operating controls.

    SECTION 7.  COMPENSATION COMMITTEE.  The Board of Directors shall appoint a
Compensation Committee.  The members of the Committee shall be selected from
those Directors who are not then serving as full-time employees of the
Corporation or any of its subsidiaries and who are "non-employee directors"
under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or any
similar successor rule.

    SECTION 8.  DUTIES OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE.  The Compensation
Committee shall:

    (1)  administer the stock option plans of the Corporation;

    (2)  review, at least annually, the compensation of Directors who are not
then serving as full-time employees of the Corporation or any of its
subsidiaries and recommend for approval by the Board any change in the
compensation of such Directors;

    (3)  review at least annually, the compensation of all Officers of the
Corporation.  The committee shall have the authority to approve changes in the
base compensation,

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BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 9

and any proposed special separation arrangements of Officers, except the 
Chairman of the Board of Directors and the President, whose base 
compensation, and any special separation arrangements, shall be subject to 
approval by the Board of Directors.

    SECTION 9.  NOMINATIONS AND BOARD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.  The Board of
Directors shall appoint a Nominations and Board Affairs Committee.  A majority
of the members of the Committee shall be selected from those Directors who are
not then serving as full-time employees of the Corporation or any of its
subsidiaries.

    SECTION 10.  DUTIES OF THE NOMINATIONS AND BOARD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.  The
Nominations and Board Affairs Committee shall:

    (1)  develop general criteria for selection of and qualifications desirable
in members of the Board of Directors and Officers of the Corporation and aid the
Board in identifying and attracting qualified candidates to stand for election
to such positions;

    (2)  recommend to the Board annually a slate of nominees to be proposed by
the Board to the shareholders as nominees for election as Directors, and, from
time to time, recommend persons to fill any vacancy on the Board;

    (3)  review annually, or more often if appropriate, the performance of
individual members of the management of the Corporation and the membership and
performance of committees of the Board and make recommendations deemed necessary
or appropriate to the Board;

    (4)  recommend to the Board persons to be elected as Officers of the
Corporation; and 

    (5)  serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors and Chairman
of the Board on matters of organization, management succession plans, major
changes in the organizational structure of the Corporation, and the conduct of
Board activities, including assisting in the evaluation of the Board's own
performance.


                                      ARTICLE V

                                       OFFICERS

    SECTION 1.  NUMBER.  The Officers of the Corporation shall be the Chairman
of the Board, the President, one or more Executive, Group or Senior Vice
Presidents, one or more Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, a Secretary, a Controller,
a General Counsel and such Assistant Treasurers and Assistant Secretaries as the
Board of Directors may elect.  Any two or more offices may be held by the same
person.

    SECTION 2.  ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE.  The Officers of the Corporation
shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors at the first meeting of the
Board of Directors held after each annual meeting of shareholders.  If the
election of Officers shall not be held at such meeting, such election shall be
held as soon thereafter as conveniently may be.  Vacancies or new offices may be
filled at any meeting of the Board of Directors.  Each Officer shall hold office
until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and shall have qualified
or until his or her death or until he or she shall resign or shall have been
removed in the manner hereinafter provided.

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BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 10

    SECTION 3.  REMOVAL OF OFFICERS.  Any Officer may be removed by the Board
of Directors whenever in its judgment the best interests of the Corporation will
be served thereby.

    SECTION 4.  VACANCIES.  A vacancy in any office because of death,
resignation, removal, disqualification or otherwise, may be filled by the Board
of Directors for the unexpired portion of the term.

    SECTION 5.  CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.  The Chairman of the Board
of Directors shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.  The
Chairman shall be responsible for the overall management of the Corporation
subject to the direction of the Board of Directors.  The Chairman shall preside
at all meetings of the Board of Directors and the shareholders.

    SECTION 6.  PRESIDENT.  The President shall be the Chief Operating Officer. 
The President shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Board of
Directors or by the Chairman.

    SECTION 7.  EXECUTIVE, GROUP AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS.  Each Executive,
Group, or Senior Vice President shall be responsible for supervising and
coordinating a major area of the Corporation's activities subject to the
direction of the Chairman of the Board or the President.

    SECTION 8.  VICE PRESIDENTS.  Each of the Vice Presidents shall be
responsible for those activities designated by an Executive, Group, or Senior
Vice President, the President, the Chairman of the Board or by the Board of
Directors.

    SECTION 9.  TREASURER.  The Treasurer shall administer the investment,
financing, insurance and credit activities of the Corporation.

    SECTION 10.  SECRETARY.  The Secretary will be the custodian of the
corporate records and of the seal of the Corporation, will countersign
certificates for shares of the Corporation, and in general will perform all
duties incident to the office of Secretary.  The Secretary shall have the
authority to certify the By-Laws, resolutions of the shareholders and the Board
of Directors and committees thereof, and other documents of the Corporation as
true and correct copies thereof.

    SECTION 11.  CONTROLLER.  The Controller will conduct the accounting
activities of the Corporation, including the maintenance of the Corporation's
general and supporting ledgers and books of account, operating budgets, and the
preparation and consolidation of financial statements.

    SECTION 12.  GENERAL COUNSEL.  The General Counsel will be the chief
consultant of the Corporation on legal matters.  He or she will supervise all
matters of legal import concerning the interests of the Corporation.

    SECTION 13.  ASSISTANT TREASURER.  The Assistant Treasurer shall, in the
absence or incapacity of the Treasurer, perform the duties and exercise the
powers of the Treasurer, and shall perform such other duties as shall from time
to time be given to him or her by the Treasurer.

<PAGE>

BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 11

    SECTION 14.  ASSISTANT SECRETARY.  The Assistant Secretary shall, in the
absence or incapacity of the Secretary, perform the duties and exercise the
powers of the Secretary, and shall perform such other duties as shall from time
to time be given to him or her by the Secretary.  The Assistant Secretary shall
be, with the Secretary, keeper of the books, records, and the seal of the
Corporation, and shall have the authority to certify the By-Laws, resolutions
and other documents of the Corporation.

    SECTION 15.  GENERAL POWERS OF OFFICERS.  The Chairman of the Board, the
President, and any Executive, Group or Senior Vice President, may sign without
countersignature any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, reports to public
agencies, or other instruments whether or not the Board of Directors has
expressly authorized execution of such instruments, except in cases where the
signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of
Directors or by these By-Laws solely to some other Officer or agent of the
Corporation, or shall be required by law to be otherwise signed or executed. 
Any other Officer of this Corporation may sign contracts, reports to public
agencies, or other instruments which are in the regular course of business and
within the scope of his or her authority, except where the signing and execution
thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors or by these
By-Laws to some other Officer or agent of the Corporation, or shall be required
by law to be otherwise signed or executed.


                                      ARTICLE VI

                      CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES AND THEIR TRANSFER

    SECTION 1.  CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES.  Certificates representing shares of
the Corporation shall be in such form as may be determined by the Board of
Directors.  Such certificates shall be signed by any one of the Chairman of the
Board, the President or an Executive Vice President, and shall be countersigned
by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary and shall be sealed with the seal, or
a facsimile of the seal, of the Corporation.  If a certificate is countersigned
by a Transfer Agent or Registrar, other than the Corporation itself or its
employee, any other signatures or countersignature on the certificate may be
facsimiles.  In case any Officer of the Corporation, or any officer or employee
of the Transfer Agent or Registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature
has been placed upon such certificate ceases to be an Officer of the
Corporation, or an officer or employee of the Transfer Agent or Registrar before
such certificate is issued, the certificate may be issued by the Corporation
with the same effect as if the Officer of the Corporation, or the officer or
employee of the Transfer Agent or Registrar had not ceased to be such at the
date of its issue.  Each certificate representing shares shall state: that the
Corporation is organized under the laws of the State of Illinois; the name of
the person to whom issued; the number and class of shares; and the designation
of the series, if any, which such certificate represents.  Each certificate
shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified.  The name of the person
to whom the shares represented thereby are issued, with the number of shares and
date of issue, shall be entered on the books of the Corporation.  All
certificates surrendered to the Corporation for transfer shall be canceled, and
no new certificate shall be issued in replacement until the former certificate
for a like number of shares shall have been surrendered and canceled, except in
the case of lost, destroyed or mutilated certificates.

    SECTION 2.  TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR.  The Board of Directors may from
time to time appoint such Transfer Agents and Registrars in such locations as it
shall determine, and may, in its discretion, appoint a single entity to act in
the capacity of both Transfer Agent and Registrar in any one location.

<PAGE>

BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 12

    SECTION 3.  TRANSFERS OF SHARES.  Transfers of shares of the Corporation
shall be made only on the books of the Corporation at the request of the holder
of record thereof or of his attorney, lawfully constituted in writing, and on
surrender for cancellation of the certificate for such shares.  The person in
whose name shares stand on the books of the Corporation shall be deemed the
owner thereof for all purposes as regards the Corporation.

    SECTION 4.  LOST, DESTROYED OR MUTILATED CERTIFICATES.  In case of lost,
destroyed or mutilated certificates, duplicate certificates shall be issued to
the person claiming the loss, destruction or mutilation, provided:

    (a)  that the claimant furnishes an affidavit stating the facts of such
    loss, destruction or mutilation so far as known to him or her and further
    stating that the affidavit is made to induce the Corporation to issue a
    duplicate certificate or certificates; and that issuance of the duplicate
    certificate or certificates is approved:

              (i)  in a case involving a certificate or certificates for more
              than l,000 shares, by the Chairman of the Board, the President,
              an Executive Vice President, or the Secretary; or

              (ii) in a case involving a certificate or certificates for l,000
              shares or less, by the Transfer Agent appointed by the Board of
              Directors for the transfer of the shares represented by such
              certificate or certificates,


    upon receipt of a bond, with one or more sureties, in the amount to be
    determined by the party giving such approval; or

    (b)  that issuance of the said duplicate certificate or certificates is
    approved by the Board of Directors upon such terms and conditions as it
    shall determine.


                                     ARTICLE VII

                                     FISCAL YEAR

    The fiscal year of the Corporation shall begin on the first day of January
in each year and end on the last day of December in each year.


                                     ARTICLE VIII

                   VOTING SHARES OR INTERESTS IN OTHER CORPORATIONS

    The Chairman of the Board, the President, an Executive, Group, or Senior
Vice President and each of them, shall have the authority to act for the
Corporation by voting any shares or exercising any other interest owned by the
Corporation in any other corporation or other business association, including
wholly or partially owned subsidiaries of the Corporation, such authority to
include, but not be limited to, power to attend any meeting of any such
corporation or

<PAGE>

BY-LAWS                                                                 Page 13

other business association, to vote shares in the election of directors and 
upon any other matter coming before any such meeting, to waive notice of any 
such meeting and to consent to the holding thereof without notice, and to 
appoint a proxy or proxies to represent the Corporation at any such meeting 
with all the powers that the said Officer would have under this section if 
personally present.

                                      ARTICLE IX

                            DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS

    The Board of Directors may authorize, and the Corporation may make,
distributions to its shareholders, subject to any restriction in the Articles of
Incorporation and subject also to the limitations prescribed by law.


                                      ARTICLE X

                                         SEAL

    The Corporate Seal of the Corporation shall be in the form of a circle in 
the center of which is the insignia "[LOGO]" and shall have inscribed thereon 
the name of the Corporation and the words "an Illinois Corporation."

                                      ARTICLE XI

                                   WAIVER OF NOTICE

    Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given under the provisions
of these By-Laws or under the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or
under the provisions of The Business Corporation Act of 1983, a waiver thereof
in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether
before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the
giving of such notice.  Attendance at any meeting shall constitute waiver of
notice thereof unless the person at the meeting objects to the holding of the
meeting because proper notice was not given.


                                     ARTICLE XII

                                      AMENDMENTS

    These By-Laws may be made, altered, amended or repealed by the shareholders
or the Board of Directors.



<PAGE>


                                                                    Exhibit 4.12
                                                          Resolution of Board of
                                                           Directors relating to
                                                          $750,000,000 Borrowing


                                      RESOLUTION


    WHEREAS, it may be advisable and in the best interests of this Corporation
to borrow up to a maximum of $750,000,000 on terms to be determined as hereafter
provided, which amount shall be in addition to any borrowing of the $150,000,000
of borrowings authorized by resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors on
September 10, 1993, that has not been incurred as of the date hereof:

    NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED as follows:

1.  GENERAL AUTHORIZATION

    This Corporation is hereby authorized: (a) to incur up to $750,000,000
principal amount of indebtedness on terms established in accordance with this
Resolution which indebtedness may be denominated in foreign currencies or
foreign currency units or issued at original issue discount and to the extent
issued at original issue discount, or denominated in, purchased for or payable
in foreign currencies or foreign currency units, shall be that principal amount
as may result in the initial offering prices aggregating $750,000,000
(determined in the case of foreign currencies or foreign currency units by
reference to the equivalent in United States dollars, determined on the basis of
exchange rates in effect on the second business day prior to entering into any
agreement, whether a binding agreement or an in-principle agreement, to issue
such Securities); (b) to issue one or more series of Debentures, Notes and other
evidence of indebtedness to evidence the indebtedness authorized by or pursuant
to this Resolution having terms established in accordance with this Resolution
(and all Debentures, Notes and other evidence of indebtedness which shall
actually be issued by the Corporation pursuant to such authorization are herein
collectively called the "Securities"); and (c) take such action as the
Authorized Officers deem appropriate to issue any of the Securities under the
Indenture dated as of October 1, 1993 between the Corporation and Harris Trust &
Savings Bank, Trustee (the "Indenture") or any other indenture, fiscal agency
agreement or other agreement as the Authorized Officers may approve.

2.  AUTHORIZED OFFICERS

    The Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer; the Senior Vice
President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer; and the Vice President and
Treasurer shall constitute "Authorized Officers" for purposes of this
Resolution.  Any action which the Authorized Officers are authorized by this
Resolution to take may be taken by means of a written instrument signed by any
two Authorized Officers.  The Authorized Officers are hereby authorized to take
any action authorized by this Resolution at any time as such Officers deem
appropriate and in the best interest of this Corporation.

3.  TRANSACTION TERMS

    The Authorized Officers are hereby authorized to determine: (a) the terms
of each series of Securities to be issued by the Corporation and whether they
shall be issued under the Indenture or any other indenture, fiscal agency
agreement or other agreement as the Authorized Officers may approve (including
but not limited to the aggregate principal amount of debt to be represented by
those Securities, the rate at which interest shall accrue on those Securities,
the time(s) at which payment(s) of principal shall become due on those



<PAGE>

Securities and the amount of each such payment, the extent of the Corporation's
right to make prepayments of amounts owed on those Securities and the amount of
the premium (if any) which may be payable in connection with any such
prepayment, or to extend the maturity thereof; (b) whether the Corporation shall
enter into any supplement to the Indenture (including but not limited to any
supplement establishing the terms of any series of Securities) or any other
indenture, fiscal agency agreement or other agreement, or supplement thereto,
and the terms thereof; (c) the price at which the Securities shall be sold; (d)
if other than United States dollars, any currency or currency unit in which the
Securities are to be denominated, or which is to be received in payment or in
which principal or interest, if any, is to be payable; (e) all other terms
governing the sale of the Securities (including whether and to what extent the
Securities shall be sold under firm commitment underwriting arrangements, sold
directly to investment bankers for subsequent public sale, sold pursuant to best
efforts arrangements, sold in private placement, sold through agents, sold in
the U.S. market or sold in the Euromarket or any other overseas securities
market); (f) in connection with any firm commitment underwriting, the
underwriters to be utilized, the underwriting discount and other fees applicable
to such underwriting, the indemnification arrangements to be made by the
Corporation in connection with such underwriting and all other terms governing
such underwriting; (g) in connection with any medium term note program, the
agents to be utilized, the agents' discounts or commissions, the indemnification
arrangements to be made by the Corporation in connection with such program and
all other terms governing such program; (h) the exchange or exchanges (if any)
on which the Securities shall be listed and the terms of any such listing; (i)
the terms upon which the Securities may be registered, qualified or otherwise
cleared under Federal and state securities laws, or any action they deem
appropriate to obtain any exemption thereunder; (j) whether the Securities shall
be senior or subordinated to other debt of the Corporation; (k) whether the
Securities are to be in definitive or book entry form and, if the latter, the
depository with respect to the Securities, or, in the case of Securities sold in
the Euromarket, whether the Securities are to be in global form and the terms of
the arrangements pursuant to which the Securities will be held and cleared by
foreign clearing systems; and (l) any other actions which the Corporation may
take relating to the Securities.

4.  IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS

    Any officer of this Corporation is hereby authorized to cause the
Corporation to take any action which such officer shall deem to have been
authorized in or pursuant to this Resolution (which are herein collectively
called "Implementing Actions") including but not limited to: (a) the execution
and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (herein called
"Commission") of one or more Registration Statements to register an aggregate
principal amount of up to $750,000,000 of the Securities under the Securities
Act of 1933 (which Registration Statement(s) may also include, in addition to
the $750,000,000 of Securities authorized by this Resolution, up to $150,000,000
of the securities covered by the Corporation's prior Registration Statement, SEC
File No. 33-50253, which remain unissued at the time the new Registration
Statement is filed) and such pre-effective and post-effective amendments to such
Registration Statement(s) as such officer may deem appropriate and after the
effective date of the Registration Statement(s) any supplements to the
prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement(s) which such officer may
deem necessary or appropriate; (b) the execution and filing with the Commission
of an application for the registration of the Securities under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, if necessary, and all


                                          2

<PAGE>


additional instruments and documents which may be necessary to effectuate such
registration; (c) all actions such officer deems appropriate to issue up to
$750,000,000 (determined in the case of foreign currencies or foreign currency
units by reference to the equivalent in United States dollars, determined on the
basis of exchange rates in effect on the second business day prior to entering
into any agreement, whether a binding agreement or an in-principle agreement, to
issue such Securities) of Securities in the Euromarket, including entering into
any relevant agreements (including any fiscal agency agreement, paying agency
agreement, reference agent agreement, listing agent agreement and underwriting
agreement) and the preparation of any offering circular relating thereto and any
actions such officer deems appropriate to obtain exemptions from the securities
or tax laws of the United States; (d) the execution and filing of a Listing
Application for the listing of the Securities on any United States or foreign
stock exchange on which the Authorized Officers deem such Securities should be
listed and any related Indemnity Agreement or other documentation which such
officer may deem desirable and the appearance before the Committee on Stock
Lists (or other similar body) of any such exchange, and such other acts as such
officer may deem necessary to conform with the requirements for listing the
Securities on any such exchange; (e) the execution of letters of representation
or other submissions to a depository with respect to book entry securities; and
(f) the execution and filing with the appropriate state agencies or any foreign
jurisdiction of all requisite instruments, records and documents including but
not limited to applications, reports, surety bonds, irrevocable consents and
appointments of attorneys for service of process and any other action which such
officer shall deem desirable to comply with the applicable laws of any state or
other jurisdiction of the United States of America or any foreign jurisdiction
governing the qualification or registration for sale, or exemption therefrom, of
all or part of the Securities.

5.  STATES SECURITIES REGISTRATION

    Any officer of this Corporation is hereby authorized to take any and all
action which such officer may deem necessary or appropriate in order to effect
the registration or qualification of part or all of the Securities for offer and
sale under, or to secure an exemption from, the Securities or Blue Sky laws of
those states and other jurisdictions of the United States of America or any
foreign jurisdiction in which such officer determines such registration or
qualification or exemption to be advisable, and in connection therewith to
execute, acknowledge, verify, deliver, file and publish all such applications,
reports, issuer's covenants, resolutions, consents to service of process and
other papers and instruments as may be required under such laws, and to take any
and all further action which such officer may deem necessary or appropriate in
order to maintain any such registration or qualification or exemption for as
long as such officer deems it to be in the best interests of the Corporation.

6.  DOCUMENTATION

    Any officer of this Corporation is hereby authorized to execute and deliver
on behalf of this Corporation any agreement, Securities, Registration Statement,
other governmental filings or other documents of any kind which such officer
deems necessary or desirable in connection with any Implementing Action
including but not limited to: (a) Indenture; (b) the Securities (the execution
of which may be by means of facsimile signature); (c) any Underwriting Agreement
and any related pricing agreement, delayed delivery agreement or


                                          3

<PAGE>


other documentation; and (d) any Distribution Agreement and any related Terms
Agreement or other documentation.  Any agreement or other document which shall
be executed and delivered on behalf of the Corporation by any officer of the
Corporation relating in any way to any action which is authorized in or could be
authorized pursuant to this Resolution constitutes conclusive evidence that such
execution and delivery was authorized in or pursuant to this Resolution and upon
such execution and delivery, such agreement or document shall become binding
upon the Corporation in accordance with its terms.

7.  ADDITIONAL RESOLUTIONS

    This Board of Directors hereby adopts any additional Resolutions which may
be requested by any governmental authority, stock exchange or any other person
which any Authorized Officer believes necessary or desirable to accomplish any
Implementing Action.  The Corporation's Secretary or Assistant Secretary is
hereby authorized to certify that any such Resolution has been duly adopted by
this Corporation's Board of Directors.


                                          4

<PAGE>




                                ABBOTT LABORATORIES

                       FORM OF 6.40% NOTE DUE DECEMBER 1, 2006 

                            


NO. 1002                                                            $50,000,000
CUSIP NO. 002824AH3


         This Security is a Security in a global form within the meaning of the
Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of the
Depositary or a nominee of a Depositary.  This global Security is exchangeable
for Securities registered in the name of a Person other than the Depositary or
its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and no
transfer of this Security (other than a transfer of this Security as a whole by
the Depositary to a nomine of the Depositary or by a nominee of the Depositary
to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary) may be registered except
in such limited circumstances.

         Unless this Security is presented by an authorized representative of
The Depositary Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York, New York) to the issuer
or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any Security
issued upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, this
Security is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as requested
by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company and any payment
hereon is made to Cede & Co., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE
OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL since the registered owner hereof,
Cede & Co., has an interest herein.


<PAGE>

                                 ABBOTT LABORATORIES

         ABBOTT LABORATORIES, a corporation duly organized and existing under
the laws of Illinois (herein called the "Company," which term includes any
successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value
received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., as nominee for The Depository
Trust Company, or registered assigns, the principal sum of Fifty Million Dollars
($50,000,000) on December 1, 2006 and to pay interest thereon from December 9,
1996 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been
paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on June 1 and December 1 in each year,
commencing June 1, 1997, at the rate of 6.40% per annum, until the principal
hereof is paid or made available for payment.  The interest so payable, and
punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as
provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security
(or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business
on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the May 15 or
November 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding
such Interest Payment Date.  Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly
provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular
Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or
one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a
Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by
the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this
series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at
any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of
any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed,
and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully
provided in said Indenture.

         Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such 
interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company 
maintained for that purpose in Chicago, Illinois, in such coin or currency of 
the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for 
payment of public and private debts; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that at the option of 
the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of 
the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security 
Register.

         Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to herein by manual signature, this Security shall not be
entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any
purpose.

         This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the 
Company (herein called the "Securities"), issued and to be issued in one or 
more series under an Indenture, dated as of October 1, 1993 (herein called 
the "Indenture"), between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as 
Trustee (herein called the "Trustee," which term includes any successor 
trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures 

<PAGE>

supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the 
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of 
the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms 
upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.  
This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, limited in 
aggregate principal amount to $250,000,000.

         The Securities of this Series are not redeemable prior to maturity and
do not provide for a sinking fund.

         If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall
occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be
declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture.

         The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the
entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events
of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with
certain conditions set forth therein.

         The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided,
the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at
the time Outstanding of each series to be affected.  The Indenture also contains
provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount
of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the
Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company
with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the
Indenture and their consequences.  Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of
this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all
future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration
of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not
notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security
or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which
is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and
interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or
currency, herein prescribed.

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations
therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registerable in the Security
Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the
office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any
premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or
accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his
attorney duly
<PAGE>

authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of
this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same
aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or
transferees.

         The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form
without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. 
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set
forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal
amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized
denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

         No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer
or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

         Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of
transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee
may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner
hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither
the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.

         All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.


                                    *     *     *
<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.

Dated:  December 9, 1996


                                  ABBOTT LABORATORIES


                                  By_________________________________
                                  Name:
                                  Title:


Attest:


______________________________



TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK,
as Trustee, certifies that this is one of the 
Securities referred to in the within-mentioned 
Indenture.


By___________________________________________
            Authorized Signature

<PAGE>




                              ABBOTT LABORATORIES      

                       FORM OF 6.40% NOTE DUE DECEMBER 1, 2006 

                            


NO. 1001                                                           $200,000,000
CUSIP NO. 002824AH3


         This Security is a Security in a global form within the meaning of the
Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of the
Depositary or a nominee of a Depositary.  This global Security is exchangeable
for Securities registered in the name of a Person other than the Depositary or
its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and no
transfer of this Security (other than a transfer of this Security as a whole by
the Depositary to a nomine of the Depositary or by a nominee of the Depositary
to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary) may be registered except
in such limited circumstances.

         Unless this Security is presented by an authorized representative of
The Depositary Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York, New York) to the issuer
or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any Security
issued upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, this
Security is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as requested
by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company and any payment
hereon is made to Cede & Co., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE
OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL since the registered owner hereof,
Cede & Co., has an interest herein.


<PAGE>

                                 ABBOTT LABORATORIES

         ABBOTT LABORATORIES, a corporation duly organized and existing under
the laws of Illinois (herein called the "Company," which term includes any
successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value
received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., as nominee for The Depository
Trust Company, or registered assigns, the principal sum of Two Hundred Million
Dollars ($200,000,000) on December 1, 2006 and to pay interest thereon from
December 9, 1996 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest
has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on June 1 and December 1 in
each year, commencing June 1, 1997, at the rate of 6.40% per annum, until the
principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.  The interest so
payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date
will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this
Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of
business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the May 15
or November 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next
preceding such Interest Payment Date.  Any such interest not so punctually paid
or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such
Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this
Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of
business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to
be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities
of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be
paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the
requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series
may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as
more fully provided in said Indenture.

         Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such
interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company
maintained for that purpose in Chicago, Illinois, in such coin or currency of
the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for
payment of public and private debts; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that at the option of
the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of
the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security
Register.

         Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to herein by manual signature, this Security shall not be
entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any
purpose.

         This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the
Company (herein called the "Securities"), issued and to be issued in one or more
series under an Indenture, dated as of October 1, 1993 (herein called the
"Indenture"), between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Trustee
(herein called the "Trustee," which term includes any successor trustee under
the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures


<PAGE>

supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the 
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of 
the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms 
upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.  
This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, limited in 
aggregate principal amount to $250,000,000.

         The Securities of this Series are not redeemable prior to maturity and
do not provide for a sinking fund.

         If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall
occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be
declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture.

         The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the
entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events
of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with
certain conditions set forth therein.

         The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided,
the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at
the time Outstanding of each series to be affected.  The Indenture also contains
provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount
of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the
Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company
with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the
Indenture and their consequences.  Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of
this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all
future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration
of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not
notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security
or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which
is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and
interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or
currency, herein prescribed.

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations
therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registerable in the Security
Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the
office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any
premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or
accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his
attorney duly


<PAGE>

authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this 
series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same 
aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or 
transferees.

         The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form
without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. 
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set
forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal
amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized
denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

         No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer
or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

         Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of
transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee
may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner
hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither
the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.

         All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.


                                    *     *     *


<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.

Dated:  December 9, 1996


                                  ABBOTT LABORATORIES


                                  By_________________________________
                                  Name:
                                  Title:


Attest:


______________________________



TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK,
as Trustee, certifies that this is one of the 
Securities referred to in the within-mentioned 
Indenture.


By___________________________________________
            Authorized Signature



<PAGE>

                                 ABBOTT LABORATORIES

                          ACTIONS OF THE AUTHORIZED OFFICERS


    Pursuant to the authority granted by the Board of Directors of Abbott
Laboratories ("Corporation") in its June 14, 1996 resolutions, the undersigned
agree as follows:

    1.   The Corporation shall issue $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
the Corporation's 6.40% Notes due December 1, 2006 ("Notes").

    2.   The Corporation shall issue and sell Notes to Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
Citicorp Securities, Inc., Lehman Brothers Inc., Lazard Freres & Co., LLC and
Salomon Brothers Inc (collectively, "Underwriters") pursuant to an Underwriting
Agreement dated December 4, 1996 and a Pricing Agreement dated December 4, 1996
("Pricing Agreement") between the Corporation and the Underwriters, upon the
terms and conditions set forth therein, to be issued under and in accordance
with an Indenture dated as of October 1, 1993, between the Corporation and the
Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Trustee ("Trustee"), relating to the
Corporation's Notes and other obligations ("Indenture").

    3.   In addition to the other terms provided in the Indenture with respect
to securities issued thereunder, all as more particularly described in the
Pricing Agreement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement relating to the
Notes and the form of Note referred to below, the Notes shall contain the
following terms:

    (a)  The Notes shall be entitled "6.40% Notes due December 1, 2006";

    (b)  The Notes shall be limited in aggregate principal amount to
    $250,000,000;

    (c)  Interest shall be payable to the persons in whose names the Notes are
    registered at the close of business on the applicable Regular Record Date
    (as defined below); 

    (d)  The principal of the Notes is payable on December 1, 2006;
    
    (e)  The Notes shall bear interest at the rate of 6.40% per annum beginning
    December 9, 1996.  Interest on the Notes will be payable semi-annually on
    the first day of June and December of each year (each an "Interest Payment
    Date"), commencing on June 1, 1997.  Interest shall be paid to persons in
    whose names the Notes are registered on the May 

<PAGE>

    15 or November 15 preceding the Interest Payment Date (each a "Regular 
    Record Date");

    (f)  Payment of the principal of, and any premium and interest on, the
    Notes will be made at the office or agency of the Corporation maintained
    for that purpose in Chicago, Illinois;
    
    (g)  The Notes shall not be redeemable or repayable prior to maturity;
  
    (h)  The Notes shall not provide for any sinking fund;

    (i)  The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in
    denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

    (j)  The payment of the principal of, and any premium and interest on, the
    Notes shall be made in such coin or currency of the United States of
    America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
    private debts;

    (k)  The payment of principal of, and any premium and interest on, the
    Notes shall not be determined with reference to an index or formula;

    (l)  There shall be no optional currency or currency unit in which the
    payment of principal of, and any premium and interest on, the Notes shall
    be payable;

    (m)  Both Section 13.2 and 13.3 of the Indenture shall apply to the Notes;

    (n)  The Notes shall be in the form of Book-Entry Securities as set forth
    in the Indenture; 

    (o)  The principal amount of the Notes shall be payable upon declaration of
    acceleration pursuant to Section 5.2 of the Indenture; and 

    (p)  The other terms and conditions of the Notes shall be substantially as
    set forth in the Indenture and in the Prospectus and the Prospectus
    Supplement relating to the Notes.

    4.   The form of the Notes shall be substantially as attached hereto as
EXHIBIT A. 

    5.   The price at which the Notes shall be sold by the Corporation to the
Underwriters pursuant to the Pricing Agreement 


                                      -2-

<PAGE>

shall be 99.35% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if 
any, from December 9, 1996 to the time of Delivery;

    6.   The Notes initially will be offered to the public by the Underwriters
at 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from
December 9, 1996 to the time of Delivery;

    7.   The execution and delivery of the Pricing Agreement, dated December 4,
1996, and substantially in the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT B, is hereby
approved.

    8.   Any officer of this Corporation is hereby authorized and empowered to
execute the Notes of this Corporation in the form he or she deems appropriate,
and to deliver such Notes to the Trustee with a written order directing the
Trustee to have the Notes authenticated and delivered to such persons as such
officer designates.

    9.   The Harris Trust and Savings Bank is hereby designated and appointed
as Paying Agent and Securities Registrar with respect to the Notes.


                                      -3-

<PAGE>

Dated:   December 4, 1996

                                  AUTHORIZED OFFICERS OF
                                  ABBOTT LABORATORIES


                                  By____________________________


                                  By____________________________


                                      -4-


<PAGE>

                                 ABBOTT LABORATORIES

                                OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE

                                         AND

                                    COMPANY ORDER

    With respect to the issuance by Abbott Laboratories (the "Company") of
$250,000,000 in aggregate principle amount of 6.40% Notes due December 1, 2006
(the "Notes"), Jose M. de Lasa and Thomas C. Freyman, officers of the Company,
certify pursuant to Sections 3.1 and 3.3 of the Indenture, dated as of October
1, 1993 (the "Indenture"), between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings
Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee"), as follows:

    1.   We have read Sections 2.1, 3.1 and 3.3 of the Indenture and the
         definitions therein relating hereto, reviewed the resolutions of the
         Board of Directors of the Company adopted on September 10, 1993
         (attached as Exhibit B to the Secretary's Certificate of even date
         herewith), the Action of Authorized Officers of December 4, 1996
         (attached as Exhibit C to the Secretary's Certificate of even date
         herewith), conferred with executive officers of the Company and, in
         our opinion, made such other examinations and investigations as are
         necessary to enable us to express an informed opinion as to whether
         Sections 2.1, 3.1 and 3.3 of the Indenture have been complied with.

    2.   Based on the above-described examinations and investigations, in our
         opinion, all conditions precedent relating to the authentication and
         delivery of the Notes, including those conditions under Sections 2.1,
         3.1 and 3.3 of the Indenture, have been complied with.

    3.   The terms of the Notes are set forth in the Action of Authorized
         Officers, dated December 4, 1996 (attached as Exhibit C to the
         Secretary's Certificate of even date herewith).

    4.   In accordance with the provisions of Section 3.3 of the Indenture, the
         Trustee is hereby authorized and requested to authenticate the Notes
         and to deliver the Notes to or at the direction of Goldman, Sachs &
         Co., Citicorp Securities, Inc., Lazard Freres & Co., LLC, Lehman
         Brothers Inc. and Salomon Brothers Inc.

    Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have
the respective meanings assigned thereto in the Indenture.

<PAGE>

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Officers'
Certificate as of this 9th day of December, 1996.

                             ABBOTT LABORATORIES


                             By: /s/ Jose M. de Lasa
                                 ----------------------------
                                 Jose M. de Lasa, Senior Vice
                                 President, Secretary and 
                                 General Counsel
                   
                             By: /s/ Thomas C. Freyman
                                 ----------------------------
                                 Thomas C. Freyman, Vice 
                                 President and Treasurer


<PAGE>



                             Adopted by Board of Directors 12/13/85.  Amended
                             by Board of Review 3/13/86, 12/11/86, 3/11/87,
                             3/4/88, 12/9/88, 3/9/89, 10/1/89, 12/21/90,
                             6/1/92, 9/30/93, 9/1/95 and 6/1/96.



                    ABBOTT LABORATORIES SUPPLEMENTAL PENSION PLAN

                                      SECTION 1
                                     INTRODUCTION

    1-1. On September 9, 1977, December 14, 1979 and February 10, 1984 the
Board of Directors of Abbott Laboratories ("Abbott") adopted certain resolutions
providing for payment of (i) pension benefits calculated under the Abbott
Laboratories Annuity Retirement Plan ("Annuity Plan") in excess of those which
may be paid under that plan under the limits imposed by Section 415 of the U.S.
Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act ("ERISA") and (ii) the additional pension benefits that would be payable
under the Annuity Plan if deferred awards under the Abbott Laboratories
Management Incentive Plan were included in "final earnings" as defined in the
Annuity Plan.
    The purpose of this ABBOTT LABORATORIES SUPPLEMENTAL PENSION PLAN (the
"Supplemental Plan") is to clarify, restate and supersede the prior resolutions.
    1-2. The Supplemental Plan shall apply to employees of Abbott and its
subsidiaries and affiliates existing as of the date of adoption of the
Supplemental Plan or thereafter created or acquired.  (Abbott and each of such
subsidiaries and affiliates are hereinafter referred to as an "employer" and
collectively as the "employers").
    1-3. All benefits provided under the Supplemental Plan shall be provided
from the general assets of the employers and not from any trust fund or other
designated asset.  All participants in the Supplemental Plan shall be general
creditors of the employers with no priority over other creditors.


<PAGE>
                                       -2-

    1-4. The Supplemental Plan shall be administered by the Abbott Laboratories
Employee Benefit Board of Review appointed and acting under the Annuity Plan
("Board of Review").  Except as stated below, the Board of Review shall perform
all powers and duties with respect to the Supplemental Plan, including the power
to direct payment of benefits, allocate costs among employers, adopt amendments
and determine questions of interpretation.  The Board of Directors of Abbott
shall have the sole authority to terminate the Supplemental Plan.

                                      SECTION 2
                       ERISA ANNUITY PLAN SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT

    2-1. The benefits described in this Section 2 shall apply to all
participants in the Annuity Plan who retire, or terminate with a vested pension
under that plan, on or after September 9, 1977.
    2-2. Each Annuity Plan participant whose retirement or vested pension under
that plan would otherwise be limited by Section 415, Internal Revenue Code,
shall receive a supplemental pension under this Supplemental Plan in an amount,
which, when added to his or her Annuity Plan pension, will equal the amount the
participant would be entitled to under the Annuity Plan as in effect from time
to time, based on the particular option selected by the participant, without
regard to the limitations imposed by Section 415, Internal Revenue Code.

                                      SECTION 3
                       1986 TAX REFORM ACT SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT

    3-1. The benefits described in this Section 3 shall apply to all
participants in the Annuity Plan who retire, or terminate with a vested pension
under that plan, after December 31, 1988.
    3-2. Each Annuity Plan participant shall receive a supplemental pension
under this Supplemental Plan in an amount determined as follows:
    (a)  The supplemental pension shall be the difference, if any, between:

         (i)  The monthly benefit payable under the Annuity Plan plus any
              supplement provided by Section 2; and

<PAGE>
                                       -3-

         (ii) The monthly benefit which would have been payable under the
              Annuity Plan (without regard to the limits imposed by Section
              415, Internal Revenue Code) if the participant's "final
              earnings", as defined in the Annuity Plan had included
              compensation in excess of the limits imposed by Section
              401(a)(17), Internal Revenue Code, and any "pre-tax
              contributions" made by the participant under the Abbott
              Laboratories Supplemental 401(k) Plan.

                                      SECTION 4
                    DEFERRED MIP ANNUITY PLAN SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT

    4-1. The benefits described in this Section 4 shall apply to all
participants in the Annuity Plan who retire, or terminate with a vested pension,
under that plan, on or after December 14, 1979 and who were awarded Management
Incentive Plan awards for any calendar year during the ten consecutive calendar
years ending with the year of retirement or termination of employment.
    4-2. Each Annuity Plan participant shall receive a supplemental pension
under this Supplemental Plan in an amount determined as follows:
    (a)  The supplemental pension shall be the difference, if any, between:

         (i)  The monthly benefit payable under the Annuity Plan plus any
              supplement provided by Section 2 and Section 3; and

         (ii) the monthly benefit which would have been payable under the
              Annuity Plan (without regard to the limits imposed by Section
              415, Internal Revenue Code) if the participant's "final
              earnings", as defined in the Annuity Plan, were one-sixtieth of
              the sum of:

              (A)  the participant's total "basic earnings" (excluding any
                   payments under the Management Incentive Plan or any Division
                   Incentive Plan) received in the sixty consecutive calendar
                   months for which his basic earnings (excluding any payments
                   under the Management Incentive Plan or any Division
                   Incentive Plan) were highest within the last one hundred
                   twenty consecutive calendar months immediately preceding his
                   retirement or termination of employment; and

<PAGE>
                                       -4-

              (B)  the amount of the participant's total awards under the
                   Management Incentive Plan and any Division Incentive Plan
                   (whether paid immediately or deferred) made for the five
                   consecutive calendar years during the ten consecutive
                   calendar years ending with the year of retirement or
                   termination for which such amount is the greatest and (for
                   participants granted Management Incentive Plan awards for
                   less than five consecutive calendar years during such ten
                   year period) which include all Management Incentive Plan
                   awards granted for consecutive calendar years within such
                   ten year period.

    (b)  That portion of any Management Incentive Plan award which the
         Compensation Committee has determined shall be excluded from the
         participant's "basic earnings" shall be excluded from the calculation
         of "final earnings" for purposes of this subsection 4-2.  "Final
         earnings" for purposes of this subsection 4-2 shall include any
         compensation in excess of the limits imposed by Section 401(a)(17),
         Internal Revenue Code.

    (c)  In the event the period described in subsection 4-2(a)(ii)(B) is the
         final five calendar years of employment and a Management Incentive
         Plan award is made to the participant subsequent to retirement for the
         participant's final calendar year of employment, the supplemental
         pension shall be adjusted by adding such new award and subtracting a
         portion of the earliest Management Incentive Plan award included in
         the calculation, from the amount determined under subsection
         4-2(a)(ii)(B).  The portion subtracted shall be equal to that portion
         of the participant's final calendar year of employment during which
         the participant was employed by Abbott.  If such adjustment results in
         a greater supplemental pension, the greater pension shall be paid
         beginning the first month following the date of such new award.


<PAGE>
                                       -5-

                                      SECTION 5
                     RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT

    5-1.  The benefits described in this Section 5 shall apply to all
participants in the Annuity Plan who retire or terminate with a vested pension,
under that plan, after September 1, 1995.
    5-2.  For purposes of this Supplemental Plan, the phrase "Eligible
Restricted Stock Award" shall mean a restricted stock award granted under the
Abbott Laboratories 1991 Incentive Stock Program, or any successor plan or
program, (the "Incentive Stock Program"), which is designated by the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Abbott, at any time prior to
retirement or termination of the participant, as includable in "final earnings"
for purposes of this Supplemental Plan.
    5-3.  Each Annuity Plan participant shall receive a supplemental pension
under this Supplemental Plan in an amount determined as follows:
    (a)  The supplemental pension shall be the difference, if any, between:

         (i)  The monthly benefit payable under the Annuity Plan plus any
              supplement provided by Sections 2, 3 and 4;  and

         (ii) The monthly benefit which would have been payable under the
              Annuity Plan (without regard to the limits imposed by Section
              415, Internal Revenue Code) if the participant's "final
              earnings", as defined in the Annuity Plan, were one-sixtieth of
              the sum of:

              (A)  the participant's earnings described in subsection
                   4-2(a)(ii)(A); 

              (B)  the participant's awards described in subsection
                   4-2(a)(ii)(B) (adjusted as provided in subsections 4-2(b)
                   and (c)); and 

              (C)  the total value of those installments of Eligible Restricted
                   Stock Awards granted the participant which become
                   non-forfeitable during the sixty consecutive calendar months
                   for which his basic earnings (as defined in subsection
                   4-2(a)(ii)(A)) are highest within the last one hundred
                   twenty consecutive calendar months immediately preceding his
                   retirement or termination of employment.

         (b)  For purposes of this subsection 5-3:

<PAGE>
                                       -6-

         (i)   The value of an Eligible Restricted Stock Award shall be the 
               fair market value of such award (as determined under the 
               Incentive Stock Program) on the date the award is granted;

         (ii)  No more than five installments of Eligible Restricted Stock
               Awards shall be included in the amount calculated under
               subsection 5-3(a)(ii)(C); and

         (iii) "Final earnings" shall include compensation in excess of the
               limits imposed by Section 401(a)(17), Internal Revenue Code.

    In the event the limitation described in subsection 5-3(b)(ii) would be
    exceeded for a participant, those installments in excess of five with the
    lowest fair market value (as defined in subsection 5-3(b)(i)) shall be
    disregarded in calculating the benefit due under this Section 5.

                                      SECTION 6
                 CORPORATE OFFICER ANNUITY PLAN SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT

    6-1.  The benefits described in this Section 6 shall apply to all
participants in the Annuity Plan who are corporate officers of Abbott as of
September 30, 1993 or who become corporate officers thereafter, and who retire,
or terminate with a vested pension under that plan on or after September 30,
1993.  The term "corporate officer" for purposes of this Supplemental Plan shall
mean an individual elected an officer of Abbott by its Board of Directors (or
designated as such for purposes of this Section 6 by the Compensation Committee
of the Board of Directors of Abbott), but shall not include assistant officers.
    6-2. Subject to the limitations and adjustments described below, each
participant described in subsection 6-1 shall receive a monthly supplemental
pension under this Supplemental Plan commencing on the participant's normal
retirement date under the Annuity Plan  and payable as a life annuity, equal to
6/10 of 1 percent (.006) of the participant's final earnings (as that phrase is
used in subsection 5-3(a)(ii), adjusted as provided in subsections 5-3(b)(ii)
and (iii)) for each of the first twenty years of the participant's benefit
service (as defined in the Annuity Plan) occurring after the participant's
attainment of age 35.

<PAGE>
                                       -7-

    6-3. In no event shall the sum of (a) the participant's aggregate
percentage of final earnings calculated under subsection 6-2 and (b) the
participant's aggregate percentage of final earnings calculated under subsection
5-1(b)(i) of the Annuity Plan, exceed the maximum aggregate percentage of final
earnings allowed under subsection 5-1(b)(i) of the Annuity Plan (without regard
to any limits imposed by the Internal Revenue Code), as in effect on the date of
the participant's retirement or termination.  In the event the limitation
described in this subsection 6-3 would be exceeded for any participant, the
participant's aggregate percentage calculated under subsection 6-2 shall be
reduced until the limit is not exceeded.
    6-4. Benefit service occurring between the date a participant ceases to be
a corporate officer of Abbott and the date the participant again becomes a
corporate officer of Abbott shall be disregarded in calculating the
participant's aggregate percentage under subsection 6-2.
    6-5. Any supplemental pension otherwise due a participant under this
Section 6 shall be reduced by the amount (if any) by which:
    (a)  the sum of (i) the benefits due such participant under the Annuity
         Plan and this Supplemental Plan, plus (ii) the actuarially equivalent
         value of the employer-paid portion of all benefits due such
         participant under the primary retirement plans of all non-Abbott
         employers of such participant; exceeds

    (b)  the maximum benefit that would be due under the Annuity Plan (without
         regard to the limits imposed by Section 415, Internal Revenue Code)
         based on the participant's final earnings (as that phrase is used in
         subsection 5-3(a)(ii), adjusted as provided in subsections 5-3(b)(ii)
         and (iii), if the participant had accrued the maximum benefit service
         recognized by the Annuity Plan.

The term "primary retirement plan" shall mean any pension benefit plan as
defined in ERISA, whether or not qualified under the Internal Revenue Code,
which is determined by the Board of Review to be the primary pension plan of its
sponsoring employer.  The term "non-Abbott employer" shall mean any employer
other than Abbott or a subsidiary or affiliate of Abbott.  A retirement plan
maintained by an employer prior to such employer's acquisition by Abbott shall
be deemed a retirement plan maintained by a non-Abbott employer for purposes of
this subsection 6-5.

<PAGE>
                                       -8-

    6-6. Any supplemental pension due a participant under this Section 6 shall
be actuarially adjusted as provided in the Annuity Plan to reflect the pension
form selected by the participant and the participant's age at commencement of
the pension, and shall be paid as provided in subsection 7-2.

                                      SECTION 7
                            CORPORATE OFFICER ANNUITY PLAN
                        SUPPLEMENTAL EARLY RETIREMENT BENEFIT

    7-1.  The benefits described in this Section 7 shall apply to all persons
described in subsection 6-1.
    7-2.  The supplemental pension due under Sections 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 to each
participant described in subsection 7-1 shall be reduced as provided in
subsections 5-3 and 5-6 of the Annuity Plan for each month by which its 
commencement date precedes the last day of the month in which the participant 
will attain age 60. No reduction will be made for the period between the last 
day of the months the participant will attain age 60 and age 62.

<PAGE>
                                       -9-

    7-3.  Each participant described in subsection 7-1 shall receive a monthly
supplemental pension under this Supplemental Plan equal to any reduction made in
such participant's Annuity Plan pension under subsections 5-3 or 5-6 of the
Annuity Plan for the period between the last day of the months the participant
will attain age 60 and age 62.

                                      SECTION 8
                                    MISCELLANEOUS

    8-1. For purposes of this Supplemental Plan, the term "Management Incentive
Plan" shall mean the Abbott Laboratories 1971 Management Incentive Plan, the
Abbott Laboratories 1981 Management Incentive Plan and all successor plans to
those plans.
    8-2. The supplemental pension described in Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
shall be paid to the participant or his or her beneficiary based on the
particular pension option elected by the participant, in the same manner, at the
same time, for the same period and on the same terms and conditions as the
pension payable to the participant or his beneficiary under the Annuity Plan. 
In the event a participant is paid his or her pension under the Annuity Plan in
a lump sum, any supplemental pension due under Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 shall
likewise be paid in a lump sum.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provision of this
subsection 8-2: (a) if the present value of the vested supplemental pensions
described in Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of a participant who is actively
employed by Abbott as a corporate officer exceeds $100,000, then payment of such
pensions shall be made to the participant under Section 9 below; and (b) if the
monthly vested supplemental pensions, expressed as a straight life annuity, due
a participant or his or her beneficiary under Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 do
not exceed an aggregate of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00) as of the
commencement date of the pension payable such participant or his or her
beneficiary under the Annuity Plan, and payment of such supplemental pension has
not previously been made under Section 9, the present value of such supplemental
pensions shall be paid such participant or beneficiary in a lump-sum.

<PAGE>
                                       -10-

    8-3. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Supplemental Plan, if
employment of any participant with Abbott and its subsidiaries and affiliates
should terminate for any reason within five (5) years after the date of a Change
in Control:
    (a)  The present value of any supplemental pension due the participant
         under Section 2 (whether or not then payable) shall be paid to
         the participant in a lump sum within thirty (30) days following
         such termination; and

    (b)  The present value of any supplemental pension due the participant
         under Sections 3 or 4 (whether or not then payable) shall be paid
         to the participant in a lump sum within thirty (30) days
         following such termination.

The supplemental pension described in paragraph (a) shall be computed using as
the applicable limit under Section 415, Internal Revenue Code, such limit as is
in effect on the termination date and based on the assumption that the
participant will receive his or her Annuity Plan pension in the form of a
straight life annuity with no ancillary benefits.  The present values of the
supplemental pensions described in paragraphs (a) and (b) shall be computed as
of the date of payment by using an interest rate equal to the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation interest rate applicable to an immediate annuity, as in
effect on the date of payment.
    8-4.  For purposes of subsection 8-3, a "Change in Control" shall be deemed
to have occurred on the earliest of the following dates:
    (a)  The date any entity or person (including a "group" as defined in
         Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
         "Exchange Act")) shall have become the beneficial owner of, or
         shall have obtained voting control over thirty percent (30%) or
         more of the outstanding common shares of the Company;

    (b)  The date the shareholders of the Company approve a definitive
         agreement (A) to merge or consolidate the Company with or into
         another corporation, in which the Company is not the continuing
         or surviving corporation or pursuant to which any common shares
         of the Company would be converted into cash, securities or other
         property of another corporation, other than a merger of the
         Company in which holders of common shares immediately prior to
         the merger have the same proportionate ownership of common 
         stock of the surviving corporation immediately after the merger as
         immediately before, or (B) to sell or otherwise dispose of
         substantially all the assets of the Company; or

<PAGE>

                                       -11-

    (c)  The date there shall have been a change in a majority of the
         Board of Directors of the Company within a twelve (12) month
         period unless the nomination for election by the Company's
         shareholders of each new director was approved by the vote of
         two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were in
         office at the beginning of the twelve (12) month period.

    8-5.  The provisions of subsections 8-3, 8-4 and this subsection 8-5 may
not be amended or deleted, nor superseded by any other provision of this
Supplemental Plan, during the period beginning on the date of a Change in
Control and ending on the date five years following such Change in Control.
    8-6.  All benefits due under this Supplemental Plan shall be paid by Abbott
and Abbott shall be reimbursed for such payments by the employee's employer.  In
the event the employee is employed by more than one employer, each employer
shall reimburse Abbott in proportion to the period of time the employee was
employed by such employer, as determined by the Board of Review in its sole
discretion.
    8-7.  The benefits under the Supplemental Plan are not in any way subject
to the debts or other obligations of the persons entitled to benefits and may
not be voluntarily or involuntarily sold, transferred or assigned.
    8-8.  Nothing contained in this Supplemental Plan shall confer on any
employee the right to be retained in the employ of Abbott or any of its
subsidiaries or affiliates.
    8-9.  Upon adoption of this Supplemental Plan, the prior resolutions shall
be deemed rescinded.

                                      SECTION 9
                      ALTERNATE PAYMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL PENSIONS

    9-1.  If, as of December 31, 1995 or any subsequent December 31, the
present value of the supplemental pension described in Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
and 7 of a participant, who is actively employed by Abbott as a corporate
officer, exceeds $100,000, then payment of such present value shall be made, at
the direction of the participant, by either of the following methods:  (a)
current 

<PAGE>
                                       -12-

payment in cash directly to the participant, or (b) current payment of a
portion of such present value (determined as of that December 31) in cash for
the participant directly to a Grantor Trust established by the participant, and
current payment of the balance of such present value in cash directly to the
participant, provided that the payment made directly to the participant shall
approximate the aggregate federal, state and local individual income taxes
attributable to the amount paid pursuant to this subparagraph 9-1(b) (as
determined pursuant to the tax rates set forth in subsection 9-14). 
    9-2.  If the present value of a participant's supplemental pension has been
paid to the participant (including amounts paid to the participant's Grantor
Trust) pursuant to subsection 9-1 (either as in effect prior to June 1, 1996
that applied to any participant with a supplemental pension with a present value
in excess of $100,000 or as currently in effect that requires the participant to
have a supplemental pension with a present value in excess of $100,000 and to be
a corporate officer), then as of each subsequent December 31, such participant
shall be entitled to a payment in an amount equal to:  (i) the present value (as
of that December 31) of the participant's supplemental pension described in
Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, less (ii) the current value (as of that December
31) of the payments previously made to the participant under subsections 9-1 and
9-2.  Payments under this subsection 9-2 shall be made, at the direction of the
participant, by either of the following methods:  (a) current payment in cash
directly to the participant, or (b) current payment of a portion of such amount
in cash for the participant directly to the Grantor Trust established by the
participant; and current payment of the balance of such amount in cash directly
to the participant, provided that the payment made directly to the participant
shall approximate the aggregate federal, state and local individual income taxes
attributable to the amount paid pursuant to this subparagraph 9-2(b) (as
determined pursuant to the tax rates set forth in subsection 9-14).  No payments
shall be made under this subsection 9-2 as of any December 31 after the calendar
year in which the participant retires or otherwise terminates employment with
Abbott.

<PAGE>
                                       -13-

    9-3.  Present values for the purposes of subsections 9-1, 9-2, 9-4 and 9-5
shall be determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions specified for this
purpose by Abbott and consistently applied.  The "current value" of the payments
previously made to a participant under subsections 9-1 and 9-2 means the
aggregate amount of such payments, with interest thereon (at the rate specified
for this purpose by Abbott).  For purposes of subsections 9-4 and 9-5,
"Projected Taxes" with respect to any payment of supplemental pension benefits
under subsections 9-1 or 9-2, shall mean the taxes which Abbott projects will be
incurred by the participant on the income earned (i) on the payment (net of
taxes) that is made pursuant to subsections 9-1 or 9-2, (ii) on the
corresponding payment(s) for Projected Taxes that are made pursuant to
subsection 9-4 and, if applicable, 9-5 and (iii) on the accumulated income
earned on any of the payments covered by parts (i) and (ii) hereof, during the
life of such participant's Grantor Trust (or during the period that such Grantor
Trust would have been in existence if the participant had elected to receive all
of the payments under subsections 9-1 and 9-2 in cash).  In calculating such
Projected Taxes, Abbott shall use the aggregate of the current federal, state
and local tax rates specified by subsection 9-14.
    9-4.  Effective as of December 31, 1995, or any subsequent December 31, as
a result of any payment made to a Qualified Participant for any calendar year
pursuant to subsection 9-1 or 9-2, Abbott shall also make a corresponding
payment to such Qualified Participant in the amount of the present value of the
Projected Taxes.  A "Qualified Participant" is either (i) a participant who as
of December 31, 1995 was actively employed by Abbott and who had previously
received, or as of such date was qualified to receive, a payment under
subsection 9-1; or (ii) a participant who as of any subsequent December 31
qualifies to receive a payment pursuant to subsection 9-1.  The payment for
Projected Taxes under this subsection 9-4 shall be made to the Qualified
Participant in the identical manner that the payment under subsection 9-1 or 9-2
was made.  For example, (a) if the Qualified Participant elected to receive the
payment under subsection 9-1 directly in cash, then Abbott shall also pay the
present value of the Projected Taxes on such payment in cash directly to 

<PAGE>
                                       -14-

the Qualified Participant, and (b) if the Qualified Participant elected to 
receive the payment under subsection 9-1 into a Grantor Trust established by the
Qualified Participant, then Abbott shall pay the present value of the Projected
Taxes on such payment as follows:  current payment of a portion of such present
value (determined as of that December 31) in cash for such Qualified Participant
directly to a Grantor Trust established by such participant, and current payment
of the balance of such present value in cash directly to such Qualified
Participant, provided that the payment made directly to such participant shall
approximate the aggregate federal, state and local individual income taxes
attributable to the amount paid pursuant to this subparagraph 9-4(b) (as
determined pursuant to the tax rates set forth in subsection 9-14).  No payments
shall be made under this subsection 9-4 as of any December 31 after the calendar
year in which the participant retires or otherwise terminates employment with
Abbott.
    9-5.  In the event that Abbott has made any payment for Projected Taxes
under subsection 9-4 in cash directly to the Qualified Participant and there is
a subsequent increase in the tax rates for such Qualified Participant, Abbott
shall make a further cash payment to such Qualified Participant in the amount of
(a) the present value of the Projected Taxes on the payments that were made
under subsections 9-1 and 9-2 in cash directly to such Qualified Participant
using the actual tax rates for previous years and the new tax rates (determined
in accordance with subsection 9-14) for the current and subsequent years, less
(b) the amount that would have been in the Qualified Participant's Tax Payment
Account with respect to the payments made under subsections 9-1 and 9-2 in cash
directly to the Participant, if such payments had instead been made to the
Qualified Participant's Grantor Trust.  Such amount shall be paid by Abbott
directly to the Qualified Participant in cash.  In the event that Abbott has
made any payment for Projected Taxes under subsection 9-4 to the Qualified
Participant's Grantor Trust, then Abbott shall as of December 31 of each year,
make a further payment to the Qualified Participant in the amount of (a) the
present value (as of that December 31) of the Projected Taxes on the payments
that were made under 

<PAGE>
                                       -15-

subsections 9-1 and 9-2 into the Qualified Participant's Grantor Trust less 
(b) the balance of such Qualified Participant's Tax Payment Account (as 
described in subsection 9-8).  Such payment shall be paid by Abbott as follows:
the current payment of a portion of such amount in cash directly to the 
Qualified Participant's Grantor Trust and the current payment of the balance
of such amount in cash directly to such Qualified Participant; provided, that
the payments made directly to such Qualified Participant shall approximate the
aggregate federal, state and local individual income taxes attributable to the
amount paid pursuant to this subsection 9-5. No payments shall be made under
this subsection 9-5 for any year following the participant's death.  In the
event that the calculation required by this subsection 9-5 for a Grantor Trust
demonstrates that there has been an overpayment of projected taxes, such
overpayment shall be held within the Grantor Trust in an Excess Tax Account and
may be used by Abbott as a credit against any payments due hereunder or as
specified in subsection 9-12.
    9-6.  For each Qualified Participant whose Grantor Trust has received a
payment pursuant to subsection 9-4, Abbott, as the administrator of such Grantor
Trust, shall direct the trustee to distribute to the participant from the income
of such Grantor Trust, a sum of money sufficient to pay the taxes on trust 
earnings for such year.  The taxes shall be calculated by multiplying the 
income of the Grantor Trust by the aggregate of the federal, state, and local
tax rates (determined in accordance with subsection 9-14).

<PAGE>
                                       -16-

    9-7.  A participant shall be deemed to have irrevocably waived and shall be
foreclosed from any right to receive any supplemental pension benefits on that
portion of the supplemental pension that the participant elects to be paid in
cash under subsection 9-1 or 9-2.  A participant, who has elected to receive a
payment under subsection 9-1 or 9-2 to a Grantor Trust, must establish such
trust in a form which Abbott determines to be substantially similar to the trust
attached to this Supplemental Plan as Exhibit A.  If a participant fails to make
an election under subsection 9-1 or 9-2, or if a participant makes an election
under subsection 9-1 or 9-2 to receive payment in a Grantor Trust but fails to
establish a Grantor Trust, then payment shall be made in cash directly to the
participant.   Each payment required under subsections 9-1, 9-2, 9-4 and 9-5
shall be made as soon as practicable after the amount thereof can be ascertained
by Abbott, but in no event later than the last day of the calendar year
following the December 31 as of which such payment becomes due. 
    9-8.  Abbott will establish and maintain a separate Supplemental Pension
Account in the name of each participant, a separate After-Tax Supplemental
Pension Account in the name of each participant, and a separate Tax Payment
Account in the name of each participant.  The Supplemental Pension Account shall
reflect any amounts:  (i)  paid to a participant (including amounts paid to a
participant's Grantor Trust) pursuant to subsections 9-1, and 9-2; (ii) credited
to such Account pursuant to subsection 9-9; and (iii) disbursed to a participant
for supplemental pension benefits (or which would have been disbursed to a
participant if the participant had not elected to receive a cash disbursement
pursuant to subsections 9-1 and 9-2).  The After-Tax Supplemental Pension
Account shall also reflect such amounts but shall be maintained on an after-tax
basis.  The Tax Payment Account shall reflect any amounts (i) paid to a
Qualified Participant (net of taxes) pursuant to subsections 9-4 and 9-5 and
(ii) disbursed to a participant for the payment of taxes pursuant to subsection
9-6.  The accounts established pursuant to this 

<PAGE>
                                       -17-

subsection 9-8 are for the convenience of the administration of the Plan and no
trust relationship with respect to such accounts is intended or should be 
implied.
    9-9.  As of the end of each calendar year, a participant's Supplemental
Pension Account shall be credited with interest calculated at a reasonable rate
of interest specified for this purpose by Abbott and consistently applied.  Any
amount so credited shall be referred to as a participant's "Interest Accrual". 
The calculation of the Interest Accrual shall be based on the balance of the
payments made pursuant to subsections 9-1 and 9-2 and any Interest Accrual
thereon from previous years.  As of the end of each calendar year a
participant's After-Tax Supplemental Pension Account shall be credited with
interest which shall be referred to as the After-Tax Interest Accrual.  The
"After-Tax Interest Accrual" shall be an amount equal to (a) the Interest
Accrual credit to the participant's Supplemental Pension Account for such year
less (b) the product of (i) the amount of such Interest Accrual multiplied by
(ii) the aggregate of the federal, state and local income tax rates (determined
in accordance with subsection 9-14).  The Excess Interest Account shall be the
cumulative amount, if any, by which the net income earned by the Grantor Trust
on the payments made pursuant to Sections 9-1, 9-2, 9-4, 9-5 and 9-10 (and
interest earned thereon) for all years that the Grantor Trust has been in
existence exceeds the After-Tax Interest Accrual for such years.
    9-10.  In addition to any payment made to a participant for any calendar
year pursuant to subsections 9-1, 9-2, 9-4 and 9-5, Abbott shall also make a
payment to a participant's Grantor Trust (a "Guaranteed Rate Payment"), for any
year in which the net income of such trust does not equal or exceed the
participant's After-Tax Interest Accrual for that year.  The Guaranteed Rate
Payment shall equal the difference between the participant's After-Tax Interest
Accrual and such net income of the participant's Grantor Trust for the year, and
shall be paid within 180 days of the end of that year.  Any funds in a
participant's Excess Interest Account may be used by Abbott as a credit against
any Guaranteed Rate Payment due to the participant under this subsection 9-10 or
as

<PAGE>
                                       -18-

specified in subsection 9-12.  No payments shall be made under this
subsection 9-10 for any year following the year of the participant's death.
    9-11.  If at any time after a participant's retirement or other termination
of employment with Abbott, there is no longer a balance in his or her Grantor
Trust, then such participant (or his or her surviving spouse if such spouse is
entitled to periodic payments from the Grantor Trust) shall be entitled to a
"Continuation Payment" under this subsection 9-11.  The amount of the
Continuation Payment shall be equal to the amount of the supplemental pension
that would have been payable to the participant (or surviving spouse) had no
payments been made to or for the participant's Grantor Trust under subsections
9-1 and 9-2.  Continuation Payments shall be made monthly, beginning with the
month in which there is no longer a sufficient balance in the participant's
Grantor Trust and ending with the month of the participant's (or surviving
spouse's) death.  Payments under this subsection 9-11 shall be made by the
employers (in such proportions as Abbott shall designate) directly from their
general corporate assets.  Appropriate adjustments to the Continuation Payments
shall be made in the event distributions have been made from a participant's
Grantor Trust for reasons other than benefit payments to the participant or
surviving spouse.
    9-12.  To the extent that Abbott is obligated to make a payment to a
participant under subsections 9-1, 9-2, 9-4, 9-5 or 9-10, Abbott shall have the
right to offset such payment with any funds in the participant's Excess Interest
Account or Excess Tax Account.  In addition, any funds in a participant's Excess
Tax Account may be used by Abbott as a credit against any future Guaranteed Rate
Payment due to the participant under subsection 9-10.
    9-13.  For participants who are not Qualified Participants that received
any payment pursuant to subsection 9-4, in addition to the payments provided
under subsections 9-1 and 9-2, each participant shall also be entitled to a Tax
Gross Up payment for each year there is a balance in his or her Supplemental
Pension Account.  The "Tax Gross Up" shall approximate:  (a) the product 

<PAGE>
                                       -19-
of (i) the participant's After-Tax Interest Accrual for the year (calculated 
using the greater of the rate of return of the Grantor Trusts or the rate 
specified in subsection 9-9), multiplied by (ii) the aggregate of the federal,
state and local tax rates (determined in accordance with subsection 9-14) plus 
(b) an amount equal to the product of (i) any payment made pursuant to this 
subsection 9-13, multiplied by (ii) the aggregate tax rate determined under 
subparagraph 9-13(a)(ii) above, such that the participant is fully compensated
for taxes on payments made hereunder.  Payment of the Tax Gross Up shall be made
by the employers (in such proportions as Abbott shall designate) directly from
their general corporate assets.  The Tax Gross Up for a year shall be paid to 
the participant as soon as practicable after the amount of the Tax Gross Up can
be ascertained by Abbott, but in no event later than the last day of the 
calendar year following the calendar year to which the Tax Gross Up relates.
No payments shall be made under this subsection 9-13 for any year following 
the year of the participant's death.
    9-14.  For purposes of this Supplemental Plan, a participant's federal
income tax rate shall be deemed to be the highest marginal rate of federal
individual income tax in effect in the calendar year in which a calculation
under this Supplemental Plan is to be made, and state and local tax rates shall
be deemed to be the highest marginal rates of individual income tax in effect in
the state and locality of the participant's residence in the calendar year for
which such a calculation is to be made, net of any federal tax benefits.


<PAGE>

                            ________________________________
                                 SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT
                                    GRANTOR TRUST


    THIS AGREEMENT, made this           day of                               ,
19    , by and between                                                        ,
(the "grantor"), and The Northern Trust Company, located at Chicago, Illinois,
as trustee (the "trustee"),

                                   WITNESSETH THAT:

    WHEREAS, the grantor desires to establish and maintain a trust to hold
certain benefits received by the grantor under the Abbott Laboratories
Supplemental Pension Plan, as it may be amended from time to time;

    NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED as follows:


                                      ARTICLE I
                                     INTRODUCTION

    I-1. NAME.  This agreement and the trust hereby evidenced (the "trust") may
be referred to as the "                                                
Supplemental Benefit Grantor Trust."

    I-2. THE TRUST FUND.  The "trust fund" as at any date means all property
then held by the trustee under this agreement.

    I-3. STATUS OF THE TRUST.  The trust shall be irrevocable.  The trust is
intended to constitute a grantor trust under Sections 671-678 of the Internal
Revenue Code, as amended, and shall be construed accordingly.

    I-4. THE ADMINISTRATOR.  Abbott Laboratories ("Abbott") shall act as the
"administrator" of the trust, and as such shall have certain powers, rights and
duties under this agreement as described below.  Abbott will certify to the
trustee from time to time the person or persons authorized to act on behalf of
Abbott as the administrator.  The trustee may rely on the latest certificate
received without further inquiry or verification.

    I-5. ACCEPTANCE.  The trustee accepts the duties and obligations of the
"trustee" hereunder, agrees to accept funds delivered to it by the grantor or
the administrator, and agrees to hold such funds (and any proceeds from the
investment of such funds) in trust in accordance with this agreement.


<PAGE>
                                       -2-

                                      ARTICLE II
                            DISTRIBUTION OF THE TRUST FUND

     II-1.    SUPPLEMENTAL PENSION ACCOUNT.  The administrator shall maintain a
"supplemental pension account" under the trust. As of the end of each calendar
year, the administrator shall charge the account with all distributions made
from the account during that year; and credit the account with its share of
trust income and realized gains and charge the account with its share of trust
expenses and realized losses for the year.

     II-2.    DISTRIBUTIONS PRIOR TO THE GRANTOR'S DEATH. Principal and
accumulated income shall not be distributed from the trust prior to the
grantor's retirement or other termination of employment with Abbott or a
subsidiary of Abbott (the grantor's "settlement date"); provided that, each year
the administrator may direct the trustee to distribute to the grantor a portion
of the income of the trust fund for that year, with the balance of such income
to be accumulated in the trust.  The administrator shall inform the trustee of
the grantor's settlement date.  Thereafter, the trustee shall distribute the
amounts from time to time credited to the supplemental pension account to the
grantor, if then living, in the same manner, at the same time and over the same
period as the pension payable to the grantor under Abbott Laboratories Annuity
Retirement Plan.

     II-3.    DISTRIBUTIONS AFTER THE GRANTOR'S DEATH.  The grantor, from time
to time may name any person or persons (who may be named contingently or
successively and who may be natural persons or fiduciaries) to whom the
principal of the trust fund and all accrued or undistributed income thereof
shall be distributed upon the grantor's death.  The grantor may direct that such
amounts be distributed in a lump-sum or, if the beneficiary is the grantor's
spouse (or a trust for which the grantor's spouse is the sole income
beneficiary), in the same manner, at the same time and over the same period as
the pension payable to the grantor's surviving spouse under the Abbott
Laboratories Annuity Retirement Plan.  If the grantor directs the same method of
distribution as the pension payable to the surviving spouse under the Abbott
Laboratories Annuity Retirement Plan, any amounts remaining at the death of the
spouse beneficiary shall be distributed in a lump sum to the executor or
administrator of the spouse beneficiary's estate.  Each designation shall revoke
all prior designations, shall be in writing and shall be effective only when
filed by the grantor with the administrator during the grantor's lifetime.  If
the grantor fails to direct a method of distribution, the distribution shall be
made in a lump sum.  If the grantor fails to designate a beneficiary as provided
above, then on the grantor's death, the trustee shall distribute the balance of
the trust fund in a lump sum to the executor or administrator of the grantor's
estate.

     II-4.    FACILITY OF PAYMENT.  When a person entitled to a distribution
hereunder is under legal disability, or, in the trustee's opinion, is in any way
incapacitated so as to be unable to manage his or her financial affairs, the
trustee may make such distribution to such person's legal representative, or to
a relative or friend of such person for such person's benefit.  Any distribution
made in accordance with the preceding sentence shall be a full and complete
discharge of any liability for such distribution hereunder.

     II-5.    PERPETUITIES.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this
agreement, on the day next preceding the end of 21 years after the death of the
last to die of the grantor and the grantor's descendants living on the date of
this instrument, the trustee shall immediately distribute any remaining balance
in the trust to the beneficiaries then entitled to distributions hereunder.

<PAGE>
                                       -3-

                                     ARTICLE III
                             MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST FUND

     III-1.   GENERAL POWERS.  The trustee shall, with respect to the trust
fund, have the following powers, rights and duties in addition to those provided
elsewhere in this agreement or by law:

         (a)  Subject to the limitations of subparagraph (b) next below, to
              sell, contract to sell, purchase, grant or exercise options to
              purchase, and otherwise deal with all assets of the trust fund,
              in such way, for such considerations, and on such terms and
              conditions as the trustee decides.

         (b)  To invest and reinvest the trust fund, without distinction
              between principal and income, in obligations of the United States
              Government and its agencies or which are backed by the full faith
              and credit of the United States Government and in any mutual
              funds, common trust funds or collective investment funds which
              invest solely in such obligations, provided that to the extent
              practicable no more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) shall be
              invested in such mutual funds, common trust funds or collective
              investment funds at any time; and any such investment made or
              retained by the trustee in good faith shall be proper despite any
              resulting risk or lack of diversification or marketability.

         (c)  To deposit cash in any depositary (including the banking
              department of the bank acting as trustee) without liability for
              interest, in amounts not in excess of those reasonably necessary
              to make distributions from the trust.

         (d)  To borrow from anyone, with the administrator's approval, such
              sum or sums from time to time as the trustee considers desirable
              to carry out this trust, and to mortgage or pledge all or part of
              the trust fund as security.

<PAGE>
                                       -4-

         (e)  To retain any funds or property subject to any dispute without
              liability for interest and to decline to make payment or delivery
              thereof until final adjudication by a court of competent
              jurisdiction or until an appropriate release is obtained.

         (f)  To begin, maintain or defend any litigation necessary in
              connection with the administration of this trust, except that the
              trustee shall not be obliged or required to do so unless
              indemnified to the trustee's satisfaction.

         (g)  To compromise, contest, settle or abandon claims or demands.

         (h)  To give proxies to vote stocks and other voting securities, to
              join in or oppose (alone or jointly with others) voting trusts,
              mergers, consolidations, foreclosures, reorganizations,
              liquidations, or other changes in the financial structure of any
              corporation, and to exercise or sell stock subscription or
              conversion rights.

         (i)  To hold securities or other property in the name of a nominee, in
              a depositary, or in any other way, with or without disclosing the
              trust relationship.

         (j)  To divide or distribute the trust fund in undivided interests or
              wholly or partly in kind.

         (k)  To pay any tax imposed on or with respect to the trust; to defer
              making payment of any such tax if it is indemnified to its
              satisfaction in the premises; and to require before making any
              payment such release or other document from any lawful taxing
              authority and such indemnity from the intended payee as the
              trustee considers necessary for its protection.

         (l)  To deal without restriction with the legal representative of the
              grantor's estate or the trustee or other legal representative of
              any trust created by the grantor or a trust or estate in which a
              beneficiary has an interest, even though the trustee,
              individually, shall be acting in such other capacity, without
              liability for any loss that may result.

         (m)  Upon the prior written consent of the administrator, to appoint
              or remove by written instrument any bank or corporation qualified
              to act as successor trustee, wherever located, as special trustee
              as to part or all of the trust fund, including property as to
              which the trustee does not act, and such special trustee, except
              as specifically limited or provided by this or the appointing
              instrument, shall have all of the rights, titles, powers, duties,
              discretions and immunities of the trustee, without liability for
              any action taken or omitted to be taken under this or the
              appointing instrument.

         (n)  To appoint or remove by written instrument any bank, wherever
              located, as custodian of part or all of the trust fund, and each
              such custodian shall have such rights, powers, duties and
              discretions as are delegated to it by the trustee.
<PAGE>
                                       -5-

         (o)  To employ agents, attorneys, accountants or other persons, and to
              delegate to them such powers as the trustee considers desirable,
              and the trustee shall be protected in acting or refraining from
              acting on the advice of persons so employed without court action.

         (p)  To perform any and all other acts which in the trustee's judgment
              are appropriate for the proper management, investment and
              distribution of the trust fund.

     III-2.   PRINCIPAL AND INCOME.  Any income earned on the trust fund which
is not distributed as provided in Article II shall be accumulated and from time
to time added to the principal of the trust.  The grantor's interest in the
trust shall include all assets or other property held by the trustee hereunder,
including principal and accumulated income.

    III-3.    STATEMENTS.  The trustee shall prepare and deliver monthly to the
administrator and annually to the grantor, if then living, otherwise to each
beneficiary then entitled to distributions under this agreement, a statement (or
series of statements) setting forth (or which taken together set forth) all
investments, receipts, disbursements and other transactions effected by the
trustee during the reporting period; and showing the trust fund and the value
thereof at the end of such period.

    III-4.    COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES.  All reasonable costs, charges and
expenses incurred in the administration of this trust, including compensation to
the trustee, any compensation to agents, attorneys, accountants and other
persons employed by the trustee, and expenses incurred in connection with the
sale, investment and reinvestment of the trust fund shall be paid from the trust
fund.

                                      ARTICLE IV
                                  GENERAL PROVISIONS

     IV-1.    INTERESTS NOT TRANSFERABLE.  The interests of the grantor or
other persons entitled to distributions hereunder are not subject to their debts
or other obligations and may not be voluntarily or involuntarily sold,
transferred, alienated, assigned or encumbered.

     IV-2.    DISAGREEMENT AS TO ACTS.  If there is a disagreement between the
trustee and anyone as to any act or transaction reported in any accounting, the
trustee shall have the right to a settlement of its account by any proper court.

     IV-3.    TRUSTEE'S OBLIGATIONS.  No power, duty or responsibility is
imposed on the trustee except as set forth in this agreement.  The trustee is
not obliged to determine whether funds delivered to or distributions from the
trust are proper under the trust, or whether any tax is due or payable as a
result of any such delivery or distribution.  The trustee shall be protected in
making any distribution from the trust as directed pursuant to Article II
without inquiring as to whether the distributee is entitled thereto; the trustee
shall not be liable for any distribution made in good faith without written
notice or knowledge that the distribution is not proper under the terms of this
agreement; and the trustee shall not be liable for any action taken because of
the specific direction of the administrator.

     IV-4.    GOOD FAITH ACTIONS.  The trustee's exercise or non-exercise of
its powers and discretions in good faith shall be conclusive on all persons.  No
one shall be obliged to see to the
<PAGE>
                                       -6-

application of any money paid or property delivered to the trustee.  The 
certificate of the trustee that it is acting according to this agreement will
fully protect all persons dealing with the trustee.

     IV-5.    WAIVER OF NOTICE.  Any notice required under this agreement may
be waived by the person entitled to such notice.

     IV-6.    CONTROLLING LAW.  The laws of the State of Illinois shall govern
the interpretation and validity of the provisions of this agreement and all
questions relating to the management, administration, investment and
distribution of the trust hereby created.

     IV-7.    SUCCESSORS.  This agreement shall be binding on all persons
entitled to distributions hereunder and their respective heirs and legal
representatives, and on the trustee and its successors.


                                      ARTICLE V
                                  CHANGES IN TRUSTEE

     V-1. RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL OF TRUSTEE.  The trustee may resign at any time
by giving thirty days' advance written notice to the administrator and the
grantor.  The administrator may remove a trustee by written notice to the
trustee and the grantor.

     V-2. APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE.  The administrator shall fill any
vacancy in the office of trustee as soon as practicable by written notice to the
successor trustee; and shall give prompt written notice thereof to the grantor,
if then living, otherwise to each beneficiary then entitled to payments or
distributions under this agreement.  A successor trustee shall be a bank (as
defined in Section 581 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended).
     V-3. DUTIES OF RESIGNING OR REMOVED TRUSTEE AND OF SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE.  A
trustee that resigns or is removed shall furnish promptly to the administrator
and the successor trustee an account of its administration of the trust from the
date of its last account.  Each successor trustee shall succeed to the title to
the trust fund vested in its predecessor without the signing or filing of any
instrument, but each predecessor trustee shall execute all documents and do all
acts necessary to vest such title of record in the successor trustee.  Each
successor trustee shall have all the powers conferred by this agreement as if
originally named trustee.  No successor trustee shall be personally liable for
any act or failure to act of a predecessor trustee.  With the approval of the
administrator, a successor trustee may accept the account furnished and the
property delivered by a predecessor trustee without incurring any liability for
so doing, and such acceptance will be complete discharge to the predecessor
trustee.


                                      ARTICLE VI
                              AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

     VI-1.    AMENDMENT.  With the consent of the administrator, this trust may
be amended from time to time by the grantor, if then living, otherwise by a
majority of the beneficiaries then entitled to payments or distributions
hereunder, except as follows:

         (a)  The duties and liabilities of the trustee cannot be changed
              substantially without its consent.

         (b)  This trust may not be amended so as to make the trust revocable.

<PAGE>
                                       -7-

     VI-2.    TERMINATION.  This trust shall not terminate, and all rights,
titles, powers, duties, discretions and immunities imposed on or reserved to the
trustee, the administrator, the grantor and the beneficiaries shall continue in
effect, until all assets of the trust have been distributed by the trustee as
provided in Article II.

                                    *     *     *

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the grantor and the trustee have executed this
agreement as of the day and year first above written.


                                                                                
- ---------------------                  ------------------------------
                                                Grantor

                                       The Northern Trust Company, as Trustee

- ---------------------                  By---------------------------- 

- ---------------------                  Its---------------------------- 


<PAGE>


                             Adopted by the Board of Directors on December 13,
                             1985.  Amended by the Board of Directors on
                             3/14/86, 12/11/87, 4/14/89, 2/8/91, 4/10/92,
                             9/10/93 and 12/1/96.


                                         1986
                                 ABBOTT LABORATORIES
                              MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN


                                      SECTION 1
                                     INTRODUCTION

    1.1  BACKGROUND AND PURPOSES.  This 1986 ABBOTT LABORATORIES MANAGEMENT
INCENTIVE PLAN (the "Plan") is a successor Plan to the 1961, 1971 and 1981
Management Incentive Plans (the "Predecessor Plans").  This Plan is being
established by ABBOTT LABORATORIES ("Abbott") for the following purposes:
    (a)  To provide greater incentive for participants in the Plan to attain
         and maintain the highest standards of managerial performance by
         rewarding them for services rendered with compensation, in addition to
         their base salaries, in proportion to the success of Abbott and to the
         participants' respective contribution to such success; and

    (b)  To attract and retain in the employ of Abbott and its subsidiaries
         persons of outstanding competence.

    1.2  EFFECTIVE DATE AND FISCAL YEAR.  The Plan shall be effective as of
January 1, 1986.  The term "fiscal year," as used in this Plan, means the fiscal
period from time to time employed by Abbott for the purpose of reporting
earnings to shareholders.
    1.3  ADMINISTRATION.  The Plan will be administered by the Compensation
Committee (the "Committee") appointed by the Board
of Directors of Abbott.
                                      SECTION 2
                            ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

    2.1  PERSONS ELIGIBLE FOR PARTICIPATION.  Participation in the Plan will be
limited to those Officers and managerial employees of Abbott and its
subsidiaries who, from time to time, shall be selected as participants by the
Committee.

<PAGE>
                                       -2-

    2.2  PARTICIPANTS.  The term "participant," as used in the Plan, shall
include both active participants and inactive participants.
    2.3  ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS.  For each fiscal year, there shall be a group of
active participants which, except as provided below, shall not exceed forty-five
persons and shall consist of those persons eligible for participation who shall
have been designated as active participants and notified of that fact by the
Committee at any time before or during the fiscal year.  If, as a result of the
growth of Abbott and its subsidiaries or changes in Abbott's organization, the
Board of Directors deems it appropriate, the Board of Directors may, in its
discretion, from time to time, increase the number of persons who may be
designated as active participants for any fiscal year beyond the limit of
forty-five persons provided for above.  Selection as an active participant for
any fiscal year shall not confer upon any person a right to be an active
participant in any subsequent fiscal year, nor shall it confer upon him the
right to receive any allocation under the Plan, other than amounts allocated to
him by the Committee pursuant to the Plan, and all such allocations shall be
subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Plan. 
    2.4  INACTIVE PARTICIPANTS.  Inactive participants shall consist of those
persons, including beneficiaries of deceased participants, if any, for whom an
allocation shall have been made for a prior fiscal year under this Plan or a
Predecessor Plan, the payment of which was deferred and remains unpaid.  Status
as an inactive participant shall not preclude a person from also being an active
participant during any fiscal year.

                                      SECTION 3
                            MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN FUND

    3.1  BASE FOR MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN FUND.  The "base earnings" for
determining whether any portion of consolidated net income for any fiscal year
may be allocated to the Management Incentive Plan Fund for such year shall be
that amount of consolidated net income (as defined in subsection 3.2) which is
equal to 15 percent of the Abbott Common Shareholder's Equity for such fiscal
year.  For this purpose, "Abbott Common Shareholders' Equity" for any
<PAGE>
                                       -3-

fiscal year shall mean the Shareholders' Investment, as reflected in the 
consolidated balance sheet of Abbott as of the close of the next preceding 
fiscal year, plus or minus such adjustments thereof as may be determined by the
Committee in order to reflect:
    (a)  The existence, issuance, sale, exchange, conversion or retirement of
         any securities, other than common shares, of Abbott (whether involving
         preferred stock, debt, convertible preferred stock or convertible debt
         securities); and

    (b)  The issuance or retirement of any common shares or any changes in
         accounting methods or period adopted by Abbott since the close of such
         next preceding fiscal year.

Any adjustments to be made in accordance with (a) and (b) above in determining
Abbott Common Shareholders' Equity for any fiscal year shall be determined by
the Committee after consultation with Abbott's independent auditors, and any
determination made by the Committee after such consultation shall be conclusive
upon all persons.
    3.2  CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME.  For the purposes of this Plan, for any
fiscal year or period, the "consolidated net income" shall be the consolidated
net income of Abbott and its subsidiaries, prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles, consistently applied, after provision for any
interest accrued with respect to such period on account of deferred payments
under this Plan or a Predecessor Plan, but before allowances for any amount to
be allocated to the Management Incentive Plan Fund, both net of applicable
income taxes, and after such adjustments for the following, as may be determined
by the Committee after consultation with Abbott's independent auditors (all net
of applicable income taxes):
    (a)  The exclusion of any charges for amortization of goodwill arising out
         of acquisitions made for securities which, as a result of adjustments
         made in determining Abbott Common Shareholders' Equity pursuant to
         subsection 3.1, are treated as common share equivalents; and

    (b)  The exclusion of any interest on debt securities which are convertible
         into common shares of Abbott and which shall have been considered as
         common share equivalents in determining Abbott
<PAGE>
                                       -4-
         Common Shareholders' Equity pursuant to subsection 3.1 hereof; and

    (c)  The deduction of any dividend requirement for preferred shares which
         has not been considered as common share equivalents in determining
         Common Shareholders' Equity pursuant to subsection 3.1 hereof.

In the sole discretion of the Committee there shall also be excluded in the
calculation of "consolidated net income" unusual gains and losses and the tax
effects thereof, changes in generally accepted accounting principles and the tax
effects thereof and extraordinary gains and losses.
    3.3  DETERMINATION OF MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN AMOUNT FOR ANY YEAR.  For
each fiscal year that consolidated net income exceeds base earnings, and as soon
as practicable after ascertainment of that fact, the Committee shall determine a
tentative amount as the Management Incentive Plan Amount for that year, which
tentative amount shall not exceed the lesser of:
    (a)  an amount which, when treated as an expense currently deductible for
         income tax purposes in such year, would cause a 5 percent reduction in
         such year's excess of consolidated net income over the base earnings
         for such year; and

    (b)  an amount which, when treated as an expense currently deductible for
         income tax purposes in such year, would cause a 1-1/2 percent
         reduction in such year's consolidated net income; and

    (c)  an amount which equals 100 percent of the aggregate base salaries of
         all active participants for such year.

For purposes of the Plan "base salary" means the amount of salary paid to each
active participant by Abbott and its subsidiaries for such year, and does not
include bonuses, awards, or any other compensation of any kind.  Following
determination of such tentative Management Incentive Plan Amount, the Committee
shall report in writing the amount of such tentative amount to the Board of
Directors.  At the meeting of the Board of Directors coincident with or next
following receipt by it of the Committee's determination, the Board of Directors
shall have the power to approve or
<PAGE>
                                       -5-

reduce, but not to increase, the tentative amount reported to it by the 
Committee.  The amount approved by the Board of Directors shall be the 
Management Incentive Plan Amount for such year.
    3.4  THE MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN FUND.  The Management Incentive Plan
Fund at any time shall consist of an amount equal to the aggregate of the
Management Incentive Plan Amounts established pursuant to subsection 3.3 of this
Plan for all fiscal years during which this Plan shall have been operative, plus
the amounts established as Management Incentive Plan Amounts for any prior
fiscal year pursuant to a Predecessor Plan, reduced by an amount equal to the
aggregate of the amounts of awards which shall have been allocated to
participants in accordance with this Plan or a Predecessor Plan, and which
awards either have been paid or remain payable to participants or their
beneficiaries.

                                      SECTION 4
                       ALLOCATION OF MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE FUND

    4.1  ANNUAL ALLOCATION OF MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE FUND.  As soon as
practicable after the close of each fiscal year, part or all of the amount then
in the Management Incentive Plan Fund (including the Management Incentive Plan
Amount for such fiscal year) will be allocated by the Committee among active
participants in the Plan for such fiscal year, having due regard for the
purposes for which the Plan was established, in the following manner and order:
    (a)  First, if the Chairman of the Board of Abbott shall be an active
         participant for such year, the members of the Committee, other than
         the Chairman of the Board, shall determine the amount, if any, to be
         allocated to the Chairman of the Board from such Fund for such year;
         and

    (b)  Next, all or a part of the balance of such Fund may be allocated among
         the active participants (other than the Chairman of the Board) for
         such year, in such amounts and proportions as the Committee shall
         determine.

provided, however, that the amount allocated to any active participant for any
year shall not exceed 125 percent of such participants' base salary for that
year.

<PAGE>
                                       -6-

    4.2  COMMITTEE'S DISCRETION IN ALLOCATIONS.  In making any allocations in
accordance with subsection 4.1 for any year, the discretion of the Committee
shall be absolute, and no active participants for any year, by reason of their
designation as such, shall be entitled to any particular amounts or any amount
whatsoever.

                                      SECTION 5
                     PAYMENT OF AMOUNTS ALLOCATED TO PARTICIPANTS

    5.1  TIME OF PAYMENT.  For fiscal years beginning after December 31, 1988,
a participant shall direct the payment or deferral of an allocation made to him
pursuant to subsection 4.1 (subject to such conditions relating to the right of
the participant to receive Payment of such amount as established by the
Committee) by one or more of the following methods:
         (a)  current payment in cash to the participant;

         (b)  current payment of a portion of the allocation in cash for the
              participant directly to a "Grantor Trust" established by the
              participant, provided such trust is in a form which the Committee
              determines is substantially similar to the trust attached to this
              Plan as Exhibit A; and current payment of the balance of the
              allocation in cash directly to the participant, provided that the
              payment made directly to the participant shall approximate the
              aggregate federal, state and local individual income taxes
              (determined in accordance with subsection 6.7) attributable to
              the allocation paid pursuant to this paragraph (b); or

         (c)  deferral of payment until such time and in such manner as
              determined in accordance with subsection 5.11.

A participant shall make the preceding direction within 30 days of the date he
is notified of his eligibility to participate in the Plan.  A participant may
change such direction with respect to any future allocation, provided that the
change is made prior to the beginning of the fiscal year to which such
allocation relates.  Payment of a participant's allocation for the 1988 fiscal
year and of any allocations deferred under the Plan prior to such year shall be
made in accordance with the provisions of either or both of paragraphs (a) and
(b) above.  The Committee shall establish and 
<PAGE>
                                       -7-

maintain a Trust Account in accordance with subsection 5.2 and for purposes of
subsection 5.4, shall treat such payment as if it were an allocation made for 
that fiscal year.
    5.2  SEPARATE ACCOUNTS.  The Committee will maintain two separate Accounts,
a "Deferred Account" and a "Trust Account," in the name of each participant. 
The Deferred Account shall be comprised of any allocations the payment of which
is deferred pursuant to subsection 5.1(c) and any adjustments made pursuant to
subsection 5.3.  The Trust Account shall be comprised of any allocations paid in
cash to a participant (including amounts paid to a participant's Grantor Trust)
pursuant to subsection 5.1(b) and any adjustments made pursuant to subsection
5.4.
    5.3  ADJUSTMENT OF DEFERRED ACCOUNTS.  As of the end of each fiscal year,
the Committee shall adjust each participant's Deferred Account as follows:
         (a)  FIRST, charge an amount equal to any payments made to the
              participant during that year pursuant to subsections 5.11 or
              5.12;

         (b)  NEXT, credit an amount equal to the allocation for that year that
              is deferred pursuant to subsection 5.1(c); and

         (c)  FINALLY, credit an amount equal to the Interest Accrual earned
              for that year pursuant to subsection 5.5.

    5.4  ADJUSTMENT OF TRUST ACCOUNTS.  As of the end of each fiscal year, the
Committee shall adjust each participant's Trust Account as follows:
         (a)  FIRST, charge an amount equal to the product of:  (i) any
              payments made to the participant during that year from the
              participant's Grantor Trust (other than distributions of trust
              earnings in excess of the Net Interest Accrual authorized by the
              administrator of the trust to provide for the Tax Gross Up under
              subsection 6.6); multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of
              which is the balance in the participant's Trust Account as of the
              end of the prior fiscal year and the denominator of which is the
              balance of the participant's Grantor Trust (as determined by the
              administrator of the trust) as of that same date;

         (b)  NEXT, credit an amount equal to the allocation for that year that
              is paid to the Participant (including the amount paid to 
<PAGE>
                                       -8-

              the participant's Grantor Trust) pursuant to subsection 5.l(b);
              and

         (c)  FINALLY, credit an amount equal to the Interest Accrual earned
              for that Year pursuant to subsection 5.5.

    5.5  INTEREST ACCRUALS ON ACCOUNTS.  As of the end of each fiscal year, a
participant's Deferred Account and Trust Account shall be credited with interest
equal to:  (a) the average of the prime rates of interest charged by the two
largest banks located in the City of Chicago on loans made by them as of January
1 and the end of each month of the fiscal year; plus (b) two hundred twenty-five
(225) basis points.  Such interest shall be credited on the conditions
established by the Committee, provided that any allocation of an award from the
Management Incentive Plan Fund shall be considered to have been made and
credited to a participant's Deferred Account and Trust Account as of the first
day of the fiscal year in which such award is made regardless of the date upon
which the Committee actually makes the determination to award such allocation.
    5.6  GUARANTEED RATE PAYMENTS.  In addition to any allocation made to a
participant for any fiscal year pursuant to subsection 4.1 which is paid or
deferred pursuant to subsection 5.1, Abbott shall also make a payment to a
participant's Grantor Trust (a "Guaranteed Rate Payment") for any year in which
the net earnings of such trust do not equal or exceed the participant's Net
Interest Accrual for that year.  A participant's "Net Interest Accrual" for a
year is an amount equal to: (a) the Interest Accrual credited to the
participant's Trust Account for that year; less (b) the product of (i) the
amount of such Interest Accrual, multiplied by (ii) the aggregate of the
federal, state and local individual income tax rates (determined in accordance
with subsection 6.7).  The Guaranteed Rate Payment shall equal the difference
between the participant's Net Interest Accrual and the net earnings of the
participant's Grantor Trust for the year, and shall be paid within 90 days of
the end of the fiscal year.
<PAGE>
                                       -9-

    5.7  DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARIES.  Subject to the conditions and
limitations set forth below, each participant, and after a participant's death,
each primary beneficiary designated by a participant in accordance with the
provisions of this subsection 5.7, shall have the right from time to time to
designate a primary beneficiary or beneficiaries and, successive or contingent
beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive unpaid amounts from the participant's
Deferred Account under the Plan and the Predecessor Plans.  Beneficiaries may be
a natural person or persons or a fiduciary, such as a trustee of a trust or the
legal representative of an estate.  Any such designation shall take effect upon
the death of the participant or such beneficiary, as the case may be, or in the
case of any fiduciary beneficiary, upon the termination of all of its duties
(other than the duty to dispose of the right to receive amounts remaining to be
paid under the Plan or a Predecessor Plan).  The conditions and limitations
relating to the designation of beneficiaries are as follows:
    (a)  A nonfiduciary beneficiary shall have the right to designate a further
         beneficiary or beneficiaries only if the original participant or the
         next preceding primary beneficiary, as the case may be, shall have
         expressly so provided in writing; and

    (b)  A fiduciary beneficiary shall designate as a further beneficiary or
         beneficiaries only those persons or other fiduciaries who are entitled
         to receive the amounts payable from the participant's account under
         the trust or estate of which it is a fiduciary.

Any beneficiary designation or grant of any power to any beneficiary under this
subsection may be exercised only by an instrument in writing, executed by the
person making the designation or granting such power and filed with the
Secretary of Abbott during such person's lifetime or prior to the termination of
a fiduciary's duties.  If a deceased participant or a deceased nonfiduciary
beneficiary who had the right to designate a beneficiary as provided above dies
without having designated a further beneficiary, or if no beneficiary designated
as provided above is living or qualified and acting, the Committee, in its
discretion, may direct distribution of the amount remaining from time to time to
either:
<PAGE>
                                       -10-

    (i)  any one or more or all of the next of kin (including the surviving
         spouse) of the participant or the deceased beneficiary, as the case
         may be, and in such proportions as the Committee determines; or

    (ii) the legal representative of the estate of the deceased participant or
         deceased beneficiary as the case may be.

    5.8  STATUS OF BENEFICIARIES.  Following a participant's death, the
participant's beneficiary or beneficiaries will be considered and treated as an
inactive participant for all purposes of this Plan.
    5.9  NON-ASSIGNABILITY AND FACILITY OF PAYMENT.  Amounts payable to
participants and their beneficiaries under the Plan are not in any way subject
to their debts and other obligations, and may not be voluntarily or
involuntarily sold, transferred or assigned; provided that the preceding
provisions of this section shall not be construed as restricting in any way a
designation right granted to a beneficiary pursuant to the terms of subsection
5.7.  When a participant or the beneficiary of a participant is under legal
disability, or in the Committee's opinion is in any way incapacitated so as to
be unable to manage his or her financial affairs, the Committee may direct that
payments shall be made to the participant's or beneficiary's legal
representative, or to a relative or friend of the participant or beneficiary for
the benefit of the participant or beneficiary, or the Committee may direct the
payment or distribution for the benefit of the participant or beneficiary in any
manner that the Committee determines.
    5.10 PAYER OF AMOUNTS ALLOCATED TO PARTICIPANTS.  Any amount allocated to a
participant in the Plan and any interest credited thereto will be paid by the
employer (or such employer's successor) by whom the participant was employed
during the fiscal year for which any amount was allocated, and for that purpose,
if a participant shall have been employed by two or more employers during any
fiscal year the amount allocated under this Plan for that year shall be an
obligation of each of the respective employers in proportion to the respective
amounts of base salary paid by each of them in that fiscal year.
<PAGE>
                                       -11-

    5.11 MANNER OF PAYMENT.  Subject to subsections 5.12, a participant shall
elect the timing and manner of payment of his Deferred Account at the time of
his deferral election under subsection 5.l.  The participant may select a
payment method from among alternative payment methods established by the
Committee.
    5.12 PAYMENT UPON TERMINATION FOLLOWING CHANGE IN CONTROL. Notwithstanding
any other provisions of this Plan or the Predecessor Plans, or the provisions of
any award made under this Plan or the Predecessor Plans, if employment of any
participant with Abbott and its subsidiaries should terminate for any reason
within five (5) years after the date of a Change in Control, the aggregate
unpaid balance of all awards previously made to such participant under this Plan
and all Predecessor Plans, plus any unpaid interest credited thereon, shall be
paid to the participant in a lump sum within thirty (30) days following the date
of such termination.
    5.13 CHANGE IN CONTROL.  A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have
occurred on the earliest of the following dates:
    (i)    The date any entity or person (including a "group" as defined in
           Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the 
           "Exchange Act")) shall have become the beneficial owner of, or shall
           have obtained voting control over thirty percent (30%) or more of 
           the outstanding common shares of Abbott;

    (ii)   The date the shareholders of Abbott approve a definitive agreement 
           (A) to merge or consolidate Abbott with or into another corporation,
           in which Abbott is not the continuing or surviving corporation or
           pursuant to which any common shares of Abbott would be converted 
           into cash, securities or other property of another corporation, 
           other than a merger of Abbott in which holders of common shares 
           immediately prior to the merger have the same proportionate 
           ownership of common stock of the surviving corporation immediately
           after the merger as immediately before, or (B) to sell or otherwise
           dispose of substantially all the assets of Abbott; or

    (iii)  The date there shall have been a change in a majority of the Board
           of Directors of Abbott within a twelve (12) month period unless the
           nomination for election by Abbott's shareholders of each new 
           director was approved by the vote of two-thirds of the directors 
           then still in office who were in office at the beginning of the 
           twelve (12) month period.
<PAGE>
                                       -12-

    5.14 PROHIBITION AGAINST AMENDMENT.  The provisions of subsections 5.12,
5.13 and this subsection 5.14 may not be amended or deleted, nor superseded by
any other provision of this Plan, during the period beginning on the date of a
Change in Control and ending on the date five (5) years following such Change in
Control.

                                      SECTION 6
                                    MISCELLANEOUS
    6.1  RULES.  The Committee may establish such rules and regulations as it
may consider necessary or desirable for the effective and efficient
administration of the Plan.
    6.2  MANNER OF ACTION BY COMMITTEE.  A majority of the members of the
Committee qualified to act on any particular question may act by meeting or by
writing signed without meeting, and may execute any instrument or document
required or delegate to one of its members authority to sign.  The Committee
from time to time may delegate the performance of certain ministerial functions
in connection with the Plan, such as the keeping of records, to such person or
persons as the Committee may select. Except as otherwise expressly provided in
the Plan, the costs of administration of the Plan will be paid by Abbott.  Any
notice required to be given to, or any document required to be filed with the
Committee, will be properly given or filed if mailed or delivered in writing to
the Secretary of Abbott.
    6.3  RELIANCE UPON ADVICE.  The Board of Directors and the Committee may
rely upon any information or advice furnished to it by any Officer of Abbott or
by Abbott's independent auditors, or other consultants, and shall be fully
protected in relying upon such information or advice.  No member of the Board of
Directors or the Committee shall be liable for any act or failure to act on
their part, excepting only any acts done or omitted to be done in bad faith, nor
shall they be liable for any act or failure to act of any other member.
    6.4  TAXES.  Any employer shall be entitled, if necessary or desirable, to
pay, or withhold the amount of any federal, state or local tax, attributable to
any amounts payable by it under the Plan after giving the person entitled to
receive such amount notice as far in advance
<PAGE>
                                       -13-

as practicable, and may defer making payment of any amount with respect to 
which any such tax question may be pending unless and until indemnified to its
satisfaction.
    6.5  RIGHTS OF PARTICIPANTS.  Employment rights of participants with Abbott
and its subsidiaries shall not be enlarged or affected by reason of
establishment of or inclusion as a participant in the Plan.  Nothing contained
in the Plan shall require Abbott or any subsidiary to segregate or earmark any
assets, funds or property for the purpose of payment of any amounts which may
have been deferred.  The Deferred and Trust Accounts established pursuant to
subsection 5.2 are for the convenience of the administration of the Plan and no
trust relationship with respect to such Accounts is intended or should be
implied.  Participant's rights shall be limited to payment to them at the time
or times and in such amounts as are contemplated by the Plan.  Any decision made
by the Board of Directors or the Committee, which is within the sole and
uncontrolled discretion of either, shall be conclusive and binding upon the
other and upon all other persons whomsoever.
    6.6  TAX GROSS UP.  In addition to the allocations provided under
subsection 4.1, each participant (or, if the participant is deceased, the
beneficiary designated under the participant's Grantor Trust) shall be entitled
to a Tax Gross Up payment for each year there is a balance in his or her Trust
Account.  The "Tax Gross Up" shall approximate: (a) the amount necessary to
compensate the participant (or beneficiary) for the net increase in the
participant's (or beneficiary's) federal, state and local income taxes as a
result of the inclusion in his or her taxable income of the income of the
participant's Grantor Trust and any Guaranteed Rate Payment for that year; less
(b) any distribution to the participant (or beneficiary) of his or her Grantor
Trust's net earnings for that year; plus (c) an amount necessary to compensate
the participant (or beneficiary) for the net increase in the taxes described in
(a) above as a result of the inclusion in his or her taxable income of any
payment made pursuant to this subsection 6.6.  Payment of the Tax Gross
<PAGE>
                                       -14-
Up shall be made by the employers (in such proportions as Abbott shall 
designate) directly from their general corporate assets.
    6.7  INCOME TAX ASSUMPTIONS.  For purposes of Sections 5 and 6, a
participant's federal income tax rate shall be deemed to be the highest marginal
rate of federal income individual tax in effect in the calendar year in which a
calculation under those Sections is to be made, and state and local tax rates
shall be deemed to be the highest marginal rates of individual income tax in
effect in the state and locality of the participant's residence on the date such
a calculation is made, net of any federal tax benefits.
    6.8  PAYMENT OF PRIOR DEFERRALS.  Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Plan, the Committee, in its absolute discretion, may direct that all or a
portion of the balance in a participant's Deferred Account be paid in accordance
with the provisions of subsection 5.1(b).  In such event, the Committee shall
establish and maintain a Trust Account in accordance with subsection 5.2 and,
for purposes of subsection 5.4, shall treat such payment as if it were an
allocation made for that fiscal year.

                                      SECTION 7
                         AMENDMENT, TERMINATION AND CHANGE OF
                           CONDITIONS RELATING TO PAYMENTS

    7.1  AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION.  The Plan will be effective from its
effective date until terminated by the Board of Directors.  During the fifth
year after the Plan's effective date and during every fifth year thereafter, the
Committee may recommend to the Board of Directors whether the Plan should be
amended or terminated.  The Board of Directors reserves the right to amend the
Plan from time to time and to terminate the Plan at any time, except that no
such amendment or any termination of the Plan shall reduce any fixed or
contingent obligations which shall have arisen under the Plan prior to the date
of such amendment or termination, or change the terms and conditions of payment
of any allocation theretofore made without the consent of the participant
concerned.
<PAGE>
                                       -15-

    7.2  CHANGE OF CONDITIONS RELATING TO PAYMENTS.  Following the
establishment by the Committee of any conditions relating to the payment of any
amount allocated to a participant for any fiscal year and any interest credited
thereon (including the time of payment or the time of commencement of payment
and any period over which payment shall be made), neither the Committee nor the
participant concerned, acting unilaterally, shall have the power to change the
conditions originally established by the Committee.  However, in order to
effectuate the purposes of the Plan, any conditions initially established by the
Committee may be changed thereafter by mutual agreement of the Committee and the
participant concerned.

<PAGE>
                                                                   Exhibit A

                         IRREVOCABLE GRANTOR TRUST AGREEMENT


    THIS AGREEMENT, made this       day of             , 1991, by and between   
                     of            , Illinois (the "grantor"), and The Northern
Trust Company located at Chicago, Illinois, as trustee (the "trustee"),

                                   WITNESSETH THAT:

    WHEREAS, the grantor desires to establish and maintain a trust to hold
certain benefits received by the grantor under the 1986 Abbott Laboratories
Management Incentive Plan, as it may be amended from time to time;

    NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED as follows:

                                      ARTICLE I

                                     INTRODUCTION

    I-1.  NAME.  This agreement and the trust hereby evidenced (the "trust")
may be referred to as the "                 1991 Grantor Trust".

    I-2.  THE TRUST FUND. The "trust fund" as at any date means all property
then held by the trustee under this agreement.

    I-3.  STATUS OF THE TRUST.  The trust shall be irrevocable.  The trust is
intended to constitute a grantor trust under Sections 671-678 of the Internal
Revenue Code, as amended, and shall be construed accordingly.

    I-4.  THE ADMINISTRATOR.  Abbott Laboratories ("Abbott") shall act as the
"administrator" of the trust, and as such shall have certain powers, rights and
duties under this agreement as described below.  Abbott will certify to the
trustee from time to time the person or persons authorized to act on behalf of
Abbott as the administrator.  The trustee may rely on the latest certificate
received without further inquiry or verification.

    I-5.  ACCEPTANCE.  The trustee accepts the duties and obligations of the
"trustee" hereunder, agrees to accept funds delivered to it by the grantor or
the administrator, and agrees to hold such funds (and any proceeds from the
investment of such funds) in trust in accordance with this agreement.

                                      ARTICLE II
                            DISTRIBUTION OF THE TRUST FUND

    II-1.  SEPARATE ACCOUNTS.  The administrator shall maintain two separate
accounts under the trust, a "rollout account" and a "deferred account." Funds
delivered to the trustee shall be allocated between the accounts by the trustee
as directed by the administrator.  As of the end of each calendar year, the
administrator shall charge each account with all distributions made from such
account during that year; and credit each account with its share of income and
realized gains and
<PAGE>
                                       -2-

charge each account with its share of expenses and realized losses for the 
year.  The trustee shall not be required to make any separate investment of 
the trust fund for the accounts, and may administer and invest all funds 
delivered to it under the trust as one trust fund.

    II-2.  DISTRIBUTIONS FROM THE ROLLOUT ACCOUNT PRIOR TO THE GRANTOR'S DEATH. 
The trustee shall distribute principal and accumulated income credited to the
rollout account to the grantor, if then living, at such times and in such
amounts as the administrator shall direct.

    II-3.  DISTRIBUTIONS FROM THE DEFERRED ACCOUNT PRIOR TO THE GRANTOR'S
DEATH.  Principal and accumulated income credited to the deferred account shall
not be distributed from the trust prior to the grantor's retirement or other
termination of employment with Abbott or a subsidiary of Abbott (the grantor's
"settlement date"); provided that, each year the administrator may direct the
trustee to distribute to the grantor a portion of the income of the deferred
account for that year, with the balance of such income to be accumulated in that
account.  The administrator shall inform the trustee of the grantor's settlement
date.  Thereafter, the trustee shall distribute the amounts from time to time
credited to the deferred account to the grantor, if then living, in a series of
annual installments, with the amount of each installment computed by one of the
following methods:

    (a)  The amount of each installment shall be equal to the sum of: (i) the
         amount credited to the deferred account as of the end of the year in
         which the grantor's settlement date occurs, divided by the number of
         years over which installments are to be distributed; plus (ii) the net
         earnings credited to the deferred account for the preceding year
         (excluding the year in which the grantor's settlement date occurs).

    (b)  The amount of each installment shall be determined by dividing the
         amount credited to the deferred account as of the end of the preceding
         year by the difference between (i) the total number of years over
         which installments are to be distributed, and (ii) the number of
         annual installment distributions previously made from the deferred
         account.

    (c)  Each installment (after the first installment) shall be approximately
         equal, with the amount comprised of the sum of: (i) the amount of the
         first installment, plus interest thereon at the rate determined under
         the 1986 Abbott Laboratories Management Incentive Plan, compounded
         annually; and (ii) the net earnings credited to the deferred account
         for the preceding year.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the final installment distribution made to the
grantor under this paragraph II-3 shall equal the total principal and
accumulated income then held in the trust fund.  The grantor, by writing filed
with the trustee and the administrator on or before the end of the calendar year
in which the grantor's settlement date occurs (or the end of the calendar year
in which this trust is established, if the grantor's settlement date has already
occurred), may select both the period (which may not be less than ten years from
the end of the calendar year in which the grantor's settlement date occurred)
over which the installment distributions are to be made and the 
<PAGE>
                                       -3-

method of computing the amount of each installment.  In the absence of such a 
written direction by the grantor, installment distributions shall be made over
a period of ten years, and the amount of each installment shall be computed by 
using the method described in subparagraph (a) next above.  Installment 
distributions under this Paragraph II-3 shall be made as of January 1 of each
year, beginning with the calendar year following the year in which the 
grantor's settlement date occurs.  The administrator shall inform the trustee
of the amount of each installment distribution under this paragraph II-3, and
the trustee shall be fully protected in relying on such information received 
from the administrator.

    II-4.  DISTRIBUTIONS FROM THE TRUST FUND AFTER THE GRANTOR'S DEATH.  The
grantor, from time to time may name any person or persons (who may be named
contingently or successively and who may be natural persons or fiduciaries) to
whom the principal of the trust fund and all accrued or undistributed income
thereof shall be distributed in a lump sum or, if the beneficiary is the
grantor's spouse, in installments, as directed by the grantor, upon the
grantor's death.  If the grantor directs an installment method of distribution,
any amounts remaining at the death of the spouse beneficiary shall be
distributed in a lump sum.  Each designation shall revoke all prior
designations, shall be in writing and shall be effective only when filed by the
grantor with the administrator during the grantor's lifetime.  If the grantor
fails to direct a method of distribution, the distribution shall be made in a
lump sum.  If the grantor fails to designate a beneficiary as provided above,
then on the grantor's death, the trustee shall distribute the balance of the
trust fund in a lump sum to the executor or administrator of the grantor's
estate.

    II-5.  FACILITY OF PAYMENT.  When a person entitled to a distribution
hereunder is under legal disability, or, in the trustee's opinion, is in any way
incapacitated so as to be unable to manage his or her financial affairs, the
trustee may make such distribution to such person's legal representative, or to
a relative or friend of such person for such person's benefit.  Any distribution
made in accordance with the preceding sentence shall be a full and complete
discharge of any liability for such distribution hereunder.

    II-6.  PERPETUITIES.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this
agreement, on the day next preceding the end of 21 years after the death of the
last to die of the grantor and the grantor's descendants living on the date of
this instrument, the trustee shall immediately distribute any remaining balance
in the trust to the beneficiaries then entitled to distributions hereunder.

                                     ARTICLE III
                             MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST FUND

    III-1.  GENERAL POWERS.  The trustee shall, with respect to the trust fund,
have the following powers, rights and duties in addition to those provided
elsewhere in this agreement or by law:

    (a)  Subject to the limitations of subparagraph (b) next below, to sell,
         contract to sell, purchase, grant or exercise options to purchase, and
         otherwise deal with all assets of the trust fund, in such way, for
         such considerations, and on such terms and conditions as the trustee
         decides.
<PAGE>
                                       -4-

    (b)  To retain in cash such amounts as the trustee considers advisable; and
         to invest and reinvest the balance of the trust fund, without
         distinction between principal and income, in obligations of the United
         States Government and its agencies or which are backed by the full
         faith and credit of the United States Government or in any mutual
         fund, common trust fund or collective investment fund which invests
         solely in such obligations; and any such investment made or retained
         by the trustee in good faith shall be proper despite any resulting
         risk or lack of diversification or marketability.

    (c)  To deposit cash in any depositary (including the banking department of
         the bank acting as trustee) without liability for interest, and to
         invest cash in savings accounts or time certificates of deposit
         bearing a reasonable rate of interest in any such depositary.

    (d)  To invest, subject to the limitations of subparagraph (b) above, in
         any common or commingled trust fund or funds maintained or
         administered by the trustee solely for the investment of trust funds.

    (e)  To borrow from anyone, with the administrator's approval, such sum or
         sums from time to time as the trustee considers desirable to carry out
         this trust, and to mortgage or pledge all or part of the trust fund as
         security.

    (f)  To retain any funds or property subject to any dispute without
         liability for interest and to decline to make payment or delivery
         thereof until final adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction
         or until an appropriate release is obtained.

    (g)  To begin, maintain or defend any litigation necessary in connection
         with the administration of this trust, except that the trustee shall
         not be obliged or required to do so unless indemnified to the
         trustee's satisfaction.

    (h)  To compromise, contest, settle or abandon claims or demands.

    (i)  To give proxies to vote stocks and other voting securities, to join in
         or oppose (alone or jointly with others) voting trusts, mergers,
         consolidations, foreclosures, reorganizations, liquidations, or other
         changes in the financial structure of any corporation, and to exercise
         or sell stock subscription or conversion rights.

    (j)  To hold securities or other property in the name of a nominee, in a
         depositary, or in any other way, with or without disclosing the trust
         relationship.
<PAGE>
                                       -5-

    (k)  To divide or distribute the trust fund in undivided interests or
         wholly or partly in kind.

    (l)  To pay any tax imposed on or with respect to the trust; to defer
         making payment of any such tax if it is indemnified to its
         satisfaction in the premises; and to require before making any payment
         such release or other document from any lawful taxing authority and
         such indemnity from the intended payee as the trustee considers
         necessary for its protection.

    (m)  To deal without restriction with the legal representative of the
         grantor's estate or the trustee or other legal representative of any
         trust created by the grantor or a trust or estate in which a
         beneficiary has an interest, even though the trustee, individually,
         shall be acting in such other capacity, without liability for any loss
         that may result.

    (n)  To appoint or remove by written instrument any bank or corporation
         qualified to act as successor trustee, wherever located, as special
         trustee as to part or all of the trust fund, including property as to
         which the trustee does not act, and such special trustee, except as
         specifically limited or provided by this or the appointing instrument,
         shall have all of the rights, titles, powers, duties, discretions and
         immunities of the trustee, without liability for any action taken or
         omitted to be taken under this or the appointing instrument.

    (o)  To appoint or remove by written instrument any bank, wherever located,
         as custodian of part or all of the trust fund, and each such custodian
         shall have such rights, powers, duties and discretions as are
         delegated to it by the trustee.

    (p)  To employ agents, attorneys, accountants or other persons, and to
         delegate to them such powers as the trustee considers desirable, and
         the trustee shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting on
         the advice of persons so employed without court action.

    (q)  To perform any and all other acts which in the trustee's judgment are
         appropriate for the proper management, investment and distribution of
         the trust fund.

    III-2.  PRINCIPAL AND INCOME.  Any income earned on the trust fund which is
not distributed as provided in Article II shall be accumulated and from time to
time added to the principal of the trust.  The grantor's interest in the trust
shall include all assets or other property held by the trustee hereunder,
including principal and accumulated income.

    III-3.  STATEMENTS.  The trustee shall prepare and deliver monthly to the
administrator and annually to the grantor, if then living, otherwise to each
beneficiary then entitled
<PAGE>
                                       -6-

to distributions under this agreement, a statement (or series of statements) 
setting forth (or which taken together set forth) all investments, receipts,
disbursements and other transactions effected by the trustee during the 
reporting period; and showing the trust fund and the value thereof at the end
of such period.

    III-4.  COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES.  All reasonable costs, charges and
expenses incurred in the administration of this trust, including compensation to
the trustee, any compensation to agents, attorneys, accountants and other
persons employed by the trustee, and expenses incurred in connection with the
sale, investment and reinvestment of the trust fund shall be paid from the trust
fund.

<PAGE>
                                       -7-

                                      ARTICLE IV
                                  GENERAL PROVISIONS

    IV-1.  INTERESTS NOT TRANSFERABLE.  The interests of the grantor or other
persons entitled to distributions hereunder are not subject to their debts or
other obligations and may not be voluntarily or involuntarily sold, transferred,
alienated, assigned or encumbered.

    IV-2.  DISAGREEMENT AS TO ACTS.  If there is a disagreement between the
trustee and anyone as to any act or transaction reported in any accounting, the
trustee shall have the right to a settlement of its account by any proper court.

    IV-3.  TRUSTEE'S OBLIGATIONS.  No power, duty or responsibility is imposed
on the trustee except as set forth in this agreement.  The trustee is not
obliged to determine whether funds delivered to or distributions from the trust
are proper under the trust, or whether any tax is due or payable as a result of
any such delivery or distribution.  The trustee shall be protected in making any
distribution from the trust as directed pursuant to Article II without inquiring
as to whether the distributee is entitled thereto; and the trustee shall not be
liable for any distribution made in good faith without written notice or
knowledge that the distribution is not proper under the terms of this agreement.

    IV-4.  GOOD FAITH ACTIONS.  The trustee's exercise or non-exercise of its
powers and discretions in good faith shall be conclusive on all persons.  No one
shall be obliged to see to the application of any money paid or property
delivered to the trustee.  The certificate of the trustee that it is acting
according to this agreement will fully protect all persons dealing with the
trustee.

    IV-5.  WAIVER OF NOTICE.  Any notice required under this agreement may be
waived by the person entitled to such notice.

    IV-6.  CONTROLLING LAW.  The laws of the State of Illinois shall govern the
interpretation and validity of the provisions of this agreement and all
questions relating to the management, administration, investment and
distribution of the trust hereby created.

    IV-7.  SUCCESSORS.  This agreement: shall be binding on all persons
entitled to distributions hereunder and their respective heirs and legal
representatives, and on the trustee and its successors.

                                      ARTICLE V
                                  CHANGES IN TRUSTEE

    V-1.  RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL OF TRUSTEE.  The trustee may resign at any
time by giving thirty days' advance written notice to the administrator and the
grantor.  The administrator may remove a trustee by written notice to the
trustee and the grantor.

    V-2.  APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE.  The administrator shall fill any
vacancy in the office of trustee as soon as practicable by written notice to the
successor trustee; and shall give prompt written notice thereof to the grantor,
if then living, otherwise to each beneficiary then entitled to payments or
distributions under this agreement.  A successor trustee shall be a bank (as
defined in Section 581 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended).
<PAGE>
                                       -8-

    V-3.  DUTIES OF RESIGNING OR REMOVED TRUSTEE AND OF SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE.  A
trustee that resigns or is removed shall furnish promptly to the administrator
and the successor trustee an account of its administration of the trust from the
date of its last account.  Each successor trustee shall succeed to the title to
the trust fund vested in its predecessor without the signing or filing of any
instrument, but each predecessor trustee shall execute all documents and do all
acts necessary to vest such title of record in the successor trustee.  Each
successor trustee shall have all the powers conferred by this agreement as if
originally named trustee.  No successor trustee shall be personally liable for
any act or failure to act of a predecessor trustee.  With the approval of the
administrator, a successor trustee may accept the account furnished and the
property delivered by a predecessor trustee without incurring any liability for
so doing, and such acceptance will be complete discharge to the predecessor
trustee.

                                      ARTICLE VI
                              AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

    VI-1.  AMENDMENT.  With the consent of the administrator, this trust may be
amended from time to time by the grantor, if then living, otherwise by a
majority of the beneficiaries then entitled to payments or distributions
hereunder, except as follows:

    (a)  The duties and liabilities of the trustee cannot be changed
         substantially without its consent.

    (b)  This trust may not be amended so as to make the trust revocable.

    VI-2.  TERMINATION. This trust shall not terminate, and all rights, titles,
powers, duties, discretions and immunities imposed on or reserved to the
trustee, the administrator, the grantor and the beneficiaries shall continue in
effect, until all assets of the trust have been distributed by the trustee as
provided in Article II.

                                 *    *    *

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the grantor and the trustee have executed this
agreement as of the day and year first above written.


  
                        ----------------------------------------
                        Grantor


                        The Northern Trust Company as Trustee


                        By--------------------------------------

                        Its-------------------------------------


<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 11


                         Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                   CALCULATION OF FULLY DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE

              (Dollars and Shares in Millions Except Per Share Amounts)


                                                     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31  
                                                  ----------------------------
                                                    1996     1995      1994  
                                                  --------  --------  --------
1.  NET EARNINGS                                  $1,882.0  $1,688.7  $1,516.7
                                                  --------  --------  --------

2.  AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES OUTSTANDING             781.2     795.4     812.2
                                                  --------  --------  --------

3.  EARNINGS PER SHARE BASED UPON AVERAGE
    OUTSTANDING SHARES (1 DIVIDED BY 2)           $   2.41  $   2.12  $   1.87
                                                  ========  ========  ========

4.  FULLY DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE:

    a. Stock options granted and outstanding for
       which the market price at year-end
       exceeds the option price                       30.2      29.4      17.4
                                                  ========  ========  ========
    b. Aggregate proceeds to the Company from
       the exercise of options in 4.a.            $  970.2  $  816.9  $  317.4
                                                  ========  ========  ========
    c. Market price of the Company's common 
       stock at year-end                          $ 50.75   $ 41.63   $  32.63
                                                  ========  ========  ========
    d. Shares which could be repurchased
       under the treasury stock
       method (4.b. divided by 4.c.)                  19.1      19.6       9.7
                                                  ========  ========  ========
    e. Addition to average outstanding shares
       (4.a. - 4.d.)                                  11.1       9.8       7.7
                                                  ========  ========  ========
    f. Shares for fully diluted earnings per
       share calculation (2. + 4.e.)                 792.3     805.2     819.9
                                                  ========  ========  ========
    g. Fully diluted earnings per share 
       (1. divided by 4.f.)                      $    2.38  $   2.10  $   1.85
                                                  ========  ========  ========



<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 12


                         Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                  CALCULATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

                                     (Unaudited)

                         (Millions of Dollars Except Ratios)



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31
                                              ----------------------------------------------
                                               1996      1995      1994      1993      1992 
                                              ------     -----     -----     -----     -----
<S>                                           <C>        <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
Net Earnings..........................        $1,882     $1,689    $1,517    $1,399    $1,239

Add (Deduct):
Income Taxes..........................           788        706       650       544       500
Capitalized Interest Cost, Net of 
Amortization..........................            (4)        (7)       (7)       (6)      (14)
Equity in Earnings of 20%-49% Owned 
Companies, Less Dividends Received....                         2       ...        (1)      ...
Minority Interest.....................              16        18        12        13         7
                                                ------     -----     -----     -----     -----
Net Earnings as Adjusted..............          $2,682    $2,408    $2,172    $1,949    $1,732
                                                ------     -----     -----     -----     -----

Fixed Charges:
Interest on Long-term and         
Short-term Debt.......................          $   95    $  70     $  50     $   54    $   53
Capitalized Interest Cost.............              16       19        18         16        24
Rental Expense Representative         
of an Interest Factor.................              26        26        26        26        25
                                                ------     -----     -----     -----     -----

Total Fixed Charges...................          $  137    $  115    $   94    $   96    $  102
                                                ------     -----     -----     -----     -----



Total Adjusted Earnings Available for
Payment of Fixed Charges..............          $2,819    $2,523    $2,266    $2,045    $1,834
                                                ======    ======    ======    ======    ======


Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges....            20.6      21.9      24.1      21.3      18.0
                                                ======    ======    ======    ======    ======


</TABLE>

NOTE:    For the purpose of calculating this ratio, (i) earnings have been
calculated by adjusting net earnings for taxes on earnings; interest expense;
capitalized interest cost, net of amortization; minority interest; and the
portion of rentals representative of the interest factor, (ii) the Company
considers one-third of rental expense to be the amount representing return on
capital, and (iii) fixed charges comprise total interest expense, including
capitalized interest and such portion of rentals.

<PAGE>

                                                               Exhibit 13  


The portions of the Abbott Laboratories Annual Report for the year ended 
December 31, 1996 captioned Financial Review, Consolidated Balance Sheet, 
Consolidated Statement of Earnings, Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, 
Consolidated Statement of Shareholders' Investment, Notes to Consolidated 
Financial Statements, Report of Independent Public Accountants, and the 
applicable portions of the section captioned Summary of Financial Data for 
the Years 1992 through 1996.

                         Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries
                                           
                              CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                                (Dollars in Thousands)
                                           
                                        ASSETS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        December 31
                                                              --------------------------------- 
<S>                                                         <C>           <C>         <C>      
                                                               1996           1995        1994    
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
Current Assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $   110,209  $  281,197   $ 290,272
  Investment securities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       12,875      34,500      25,056
  Trade receivables, less allowances of -
  1996: $153,424; 1995: $157,990; 1994: $128,929 . . . . .    1,708,807   1,563,038   1,468,519
  Inventories -
    Finished products  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      627,449     560,637     514,715
    Work in process  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      269,443     238,943     218,643
    Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      341,313     311,361     284,833
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
      Total inventories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1,238,205   1,110,941   1,018,191

  Prepaid income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      708,402     651,436     549,091
  Other prepaid expenses and receivables . . . . . . . . .      702,404     585,599     525,199
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
     Total Current Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4,480,902   4,226,711   3,876,328
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
Investment Securities Maturing after One Year. . . . . . .      665,553     422,547     316,195
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------

Property and Equipment, at Cost:
  Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      156,038     152,401     145,634
  Buildings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1,621,036   1,531,202   1,349,668
  Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    6,142,139   5,518,210   4,764,296
  Construction in progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      451,070     560,629     794,006
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
                                                              8,370,283   7,762,442   7,053,604
  Less: accumulated depreciation 
    and amortization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    3,908,740   3,512,904   3,132,754
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
  Net Property and Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4,461,543   4,249,538   3,920,850

Net Intangible Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      979,793     155,580     151,241
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
Deferred Charges and Other Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . .      537,809     358,204     259,110
                                                            -----------  ----------  ----------
                                                            $11,125,600  $9,412,580  $8,523,724
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
</TABLE>

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an 
integral part of this statement.

<PAGE>

                         Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                              CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

                                (Dollars in Thousands)
                                           
                       LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      December 31 
                                                              ---------------------------------
                                                               1996          1995         1994   
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------
<S>                                                         <C>           <C>           <C>
Current Liabilities:
   Short-term borrowings and current portion of 
       long-term debt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 1,383,727   $  1,049,863  $  772,503
  Trade accounts payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      923,018        755,921     671,100
  Salaries, wages and commissions. . . . . . . . . . . . .      322,292        286,186     270,539
  Other accrued liabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1,206,552      1,217,016   1,140,154
  Dividends payable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      185,866        165,354     152,515
  Income taxes payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      322,262        315,974     469,055
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------
     Total Current Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4,343,717      3,790,314   3,475,866
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------

Long-Term Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      932,898        435,198     287,091
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------

Other Liabilities and Deferrals:
  Deferred income taxes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      153,279         67,993      55,597
  Other. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      875,524        722,228     655,770
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------

  Total Other Liabilities and Deferrals. . . . . . . . . .    1,028,803        790,221     711,367
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------

Shareholders' Investment:
  Preferred shares, one dollar par value
    Authorized - 1,000,000 shares, none issued . . . . . .            -             -           -
  Common shares, without par value
    Authorized - 1,200,000,000 shares
    Issued at stated capital amount -
    Shares: 1996: 784,037,858; 1995: 797,021,211;
    1994: 813,046,602  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      694,380        581,562     505,170
Earnings employed in the business. . . . . . . . . . . . .    4,262,804      3,926,917   3,652,434
Cumulative translation adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . .      (78,770)       (55,646)    (51,124)
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------
                                                              4,878,414      4,452,833   4,106,480
Less:
Common shares held in treasury, at cost -
  Shares: 1996: 9,588,632; 1995: 9,714,379;
  1994: 9,766,880. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       50,605         51,268      51,545
Unearned compensation - restricted stock awards. . . . . .        7,627          4,718       5,535
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------
  Total Shareholders' Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4,820,182      4,396,847   4,049,400
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------
                                                            $11,125,600     $9,412,580  $8,523,724
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------
                                                            -----------   ------------  ----------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                         Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries
                                           
                          CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS
                                           
                     (Dollars in Thousands Except Per Share Data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                 Year Ended December 31
                                                           --------------------------------------
                                                               1996          1995         1994 
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------
<S>                                                         <C>           <C>          <C>
Net Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $11,013,460   $10,012,194  $9,156,009

Cost of products sold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4,731,998     4,325,805   3,993,831
Research and development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1,204,841     1,072,745     963,516
Selling, general and administrative. . . . . . . . . . . .    2,459,560     2,230,740   2,054,455
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------
  Total Operating Cost and Expenses. . . . . . . . . . . .    8,396,399     7,629,290   7,011,802
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------

Operating Earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    2,617,061     2,382,904   2,144,207
Interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       95,445        69,532      49,722
Interest income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      (44,521)      (51,783)    (36,907)
Other (income) expense, net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (103,413)      (30,164)    (35,298)
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------
    Earnings Before Taxes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    2,669,550     2,395,319   2,166,690

Taxes  On Earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      787,517       706,619     650,007
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------
Net Earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $1,882,033   $ 1,688,700  $1,516,683
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------


Earnings Per Common Share. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $2.41        $2.12       $1.87
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------
Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding. . . . . . . .  781,247,000   795,362,000 812,236,000
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------
                                                            -----------   -----------  ----------
</TABLE>

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral 
part of this statement.

<PAGE>
                      Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
                                                                      
                            (Dollars in Thousands)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    Year Ended December 31
                                                               -------------------------------
                                                               1996         1995        1994
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
<S>                                                         <C>          <C>         <C>
Cash Flow From (Used in) Operating Activities:
  Net earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $1,882,033  $1,688,700  $1,516,683
  Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to
  net cash from operating activities -
  Depreciation and amortization. . . . . . . . . . . . . .      686,085     566,423     510,504
  Exchange (gains) losses, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       (3,419)      5,035       8,600
  Investing and financing (gains) losses, net. . . . . . .       57,224      43,020      21,834
  Trade receivables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (163,621)    (91,349)   (109,623)
  Inventories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (125,726)    (93,184)    (52,293)
  Prepaid expenses and other assets. . . . . . . . . . . .     (303,766)   (255,764)   (183,705)
  Trade accounts payable and other liabilities . . . . . .      342,407     256,549     360,216
  Income taxes payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       10,845    (153,849)    139,921
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
       Net Cash From Operating Activities. . . . . . . . .    2,382,062   1,965,581   2,212,137
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------

Cash Flow From (Used in) Investing Activities:
  Acquisition of MediSense, Inc., net of cash acquired . .     (830,559)          -           -
  Acquisitions of property, equipment and other
     businesses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (949,028)   (947,021)   (929,488)
  Purchases of investment securities . . . . . . . . . . .     (312,535)   (183,443)   (226,728)
  Proceeds from sales of investment securities . . . . . .      117,783      67,130     185,268
  Other. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       19,098      25,611      26,863
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
    Net Cash Used in Investing Activities. . . . . . . . .   (1,955,241) (1,037,723)   (944,085)
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------

Cash Flow From (Used in) Financing Activities:
  Proceeds from borrowings with original
    maturities of more than three months . . . . . . . . .      504,652     353,317     107,868
  Repayments of borrowings with original
    maturities of more than three months . . . . . . . . .      (72,016)   (221,506)    (89,977)
  Proceeds from (repayments of) other borrowings . . . . .      402,401     282,754    (115,725)
  Purchases of common shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (808,816)   (771,411)   (615,946)
  Proceeds from stock options exercised. . . . . . . . . .      109,638      76,540      36,214
  Dividends paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (728,147)   (653,567)   (602,356)
                                                               ---------   --------- ----------
    Net Cash Used in Financing Activities. . . . . . . . .     (592,288)   (933,873) (1,279,922)
                                                               ---------   --------- ----------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                             Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                        CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS (CONTINUED)

                                       (Dollars  in Thousands)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    Year Ended December 31
                                                               -------------------------------
                                                               1996         1995        1994
                                                               ----         ----        ----
<S>                                                           <C>          <C>         <C>
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and
  cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       (5,521)    (3,060)      1,466
                                                             ----------  ---------   ----------
Net (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents. . . . . . . .     (170,988)    (9,075)    (10,404)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Year . . . . . . .      281,197    290,272     300,676
                                                             ----------  ---------   ----------
Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Year . . . . . . . . . .    $ 110,209  $ 281,197   $ 290,272
                                                             ----------  ---------   ----------
                                                             ----------  ---------   ----------

Supplemental Cash Flow Information:
  Income taxes paid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    $ 801,107  $  954,861  $  571,215
  Interest paid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       89,509      67,917      50,157
</TABLE>

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral 
part of this statement.

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                               Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                       CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT

                          (Dollars in Thousands Except Per Share Data)

                                                                    Year Ended December 31
                                                             ---------------------------------
                                                                1996        1995        1994
                                                             ----------  -----------   ----------
<S>                                                          <C>        <C>         <C>
Common Shares:
  Beginning of Year
    Shares: 1996: 797,021,211; 1995: 813,046,602; 
    1994: 830,941,614. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $  581,562   $  505,170  $  469,828
  Issued under incentive stock programs
    Shares: 1996: 5,103,701; 1995: 4,332,070; 
    1994: 3,247,207. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      105,648       70,842      38,638
  Tax benefit from sale of option shares and 
    vesting of restricted stock awards 
    (no share effect). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       21,589       19,303       9,800
  Retired - Shares: 1996: 18,087,054; 
    1995: 20,357,461; 1994: 21,142,219 . . . . . . . . . .      (14,419)     (13,753)    (13,096)
                                                             ----------  -----------   ----------
  End of Year
    Shares: 1996: 784,037,858; 1995: 797,021,211; 
    1994: 813,046,602. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $  694,380   $  581,562  $  505,170
                                                             ----------   ----------  ----------
                                                             ----------   ----------  ----------
Earnings Employed in the Business:
  Beginning of Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $3,926,917  $3,652,434  $3,364,952
  Net earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1,882,033   1,688,700   1,516,683
  Unrealized gain on marketable equity securities, 
    net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        9,000      21,600           -
  Cash dividends declared on common shares
    (per share -1996: $.96; 1995: $.84; 1994: $.76). . . .     (748,659)   (666,406)   (615,271)
  Cost of common shares retired in excess
    of stated capital amount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (811,996)   (771,263)   (615,074)
  Cost of treasury shares issued below market 
    value of restricted stock awards . . . . . . . . . . .        5,509       1,852       1,144
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
  End of Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $4,262,804  $3,926,917  $3,652,434
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------

Cumulative Translation Adjustments:
  Beginning of Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $  (55,646)  $ (51,124) $ (100,716)
  Translation adjustments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      (23,124)     (4,522)     49,592
                                                             ----------  ----------   ---------
  End of Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $  (78,770)  $ (55,646) $  (51,124)
                                                             ----------  ----------   ---------
                                                             ----------  ----------   ---------
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                              Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT (CONTINUED)

                          (Dollars in Thousands Except Per Share Data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    Year Ended December 31
                                                             ----------------------------------
                                                                1996        1995        1994
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
<S>                                                          <C>         <C>         <C>
Common Shares Held in Treasury:
  Beginning of Year
    Shares: 1996: 9,714,379; 1995: 9,766,880; 
      1994: 9,811,930. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $   51,268  $   51,545  $   51,783
  Issued under incentive stock programs
    Shares: 1996: 125,747; 1995: 52,501; 
    1994: 45,050 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         (663)       (277)       (238)
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
  End of Year
    Shares: 1996: 9,588,632; 1995: 9,714,379; 
    1994: 9,766,880. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    $  50,605  $   51,268  $   51,545
                                                              ----------  ----------  ----------
                                                              ----------  ----------  ----------

Unearned Compensation - Restricted Stock Awards:
  Beginning of Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $    4,718  $    5,535  $    7,352
  Issued at market value - Shares: 1996: 118,800;
    1995: 45,000; 1994: 35,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        5,881       1,829       1,094
  Lapses - Shares: 1996: 6,000; 1995: 4,800; 
    1994: 21,600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         (308)       (137)       (575)
  Amortization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       (2,664)     (2,509)     (2,336)
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
  End of Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    $   7,627  $    4,718  $    5,535
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
                                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
</TABLE>

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral 
part of this statement.

<PAGE>

                          Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                       NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

BASIS OF CONSOLIDATION  

     The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the parent 
company and subsidiaries, after elimination of intercompany transactions.  
The accounts of foreign subsidiaries are consolidated as of November 30.

USE OF ESTIMATES

     The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally 
accepted accounting principles and necessarily include amounts based on 
estimates and assumptions by management.  Actual results could differ from 
those amounts.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 

     Cash equivalents consist of time deposits and certificates of deposit with 
original maturities of three months or less.  

INVENTORIES 

     Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out basis) 
or market.  Cost includes material and conversion costs.

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT 

     Depreciation and amortization are provided on the straight-line method 
over the estimated useful lives of the assets.

INTANGIBLE ASSETS

     Intangible assets, primarily purchased intangible assets and goodwill 
resulting from business acquisitions, are amortized on a straight-line basis 
over up to 40 years.  Accumulated amortization as of December 31, 1996, 1995, 
and 1994, was $54.7 million, $26.0 million, and $20.6 million, respectively.

PRODUCT LIABILITY 

     Provisions are made for the portions of probable losses that are not 
covered by product liability insurance.

TRANSLATION ADJUSTMENTS 
 
     For foreign operations in highly inflationary economies, translation 
gains and losses are included in other (income) expense, net. For remaining 
foreign operations, translation adjustments are included as a component of 
shareholders' investment.

<PAGE>
                           Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                  NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE 
 
     Earnings per common share amounts are computed using the weighted 
average number of common shares outstanding.

REVENUE RECOGNITION

     The Company recognizes revenue from product sales upon shipment to 
customers.  Provisions for discounts and rebates to customers, and returns 
and other adjustments are provided for in the same period the related sales 
are recorded. 

<PAGE>

                           Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                    NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)


Note 2 - Taxes on Earnings
(dollars in thousands)

     Deferred income taxes reflect the tax consequences on future years of 
temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and 
their financial reporting amounts.  U.S. income taxes are provided on those 
earnings of foreign subsidiaries and subsidiaries operating in Puerto Rico 
under tax incentive grants, which are intended to be remitted to the parent 
company. Undistributed earnings reinvested indefinitely in foreign 
subsidiaries as working capital and plant and equipment aggregated $1,312,000 
at December 31, 1996.  Deferred income taxes not provided on these earnings 
would be approximately $210,000.

     Earnings before taxes, and the related provisions for taxes on earnings, 
were as follows:

Earnings Before Taxes                            1996       1995        1994
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
  Domestic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $1,934,872  $1,711,188  $1,595,279
  Foreign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       734,678     684,131     571,411
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $2,669,550  $2,395,319  $2,166,690
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------

Taxes on Earnings                                1996        1995        1994
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
  Current:
    U.S. Federal and Possessions . . . . .     $573,208    $495,692    $487,977
    State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       62,835      47,656      56,548
    Foreign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      207,512     251,339     192,509
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
  Total current. . . . . . . . . . . . . .      843,555     794,687     737,034
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------

  Deferred:
    Domestic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      (68,762)    (81,264)    (96,679)
    Foreign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       13,338      (6,332)      9,801
    Enacted tax rate changes . . . . . . .         (614)       (472)       (149)
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
  Total deferred . . . . . . . . . . . . .      (56,038)    (88,068)    (87,027)
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     $787,517    $706,619    $650,007
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
                                             ----------  ----------  ----------
<PAGE>

                           Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                    NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

     Differences between the effective income tax rate and the U.S. statutory 
tax rate were as follows:

                                                    1996      1995      1994 
                                                    ----      ----      ----
Statutory tax rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  35.0%     35.0%     35.0%
Benefit of tax exemptions in Puerto Rico, 
the Dominican Republic, 
Italy, Ireland, and The Netherlands  . . . . . . .  (6.5)     (5.7)     (5.1)
State taxes, net of federal benefit. . . . . . . .   1.5       1.3       1.7
All other, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  (0.5)     (1.1)     (1.6)
                                                    ----      ----      ----
Effective tax rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  29.5%     29.5%     30.0%
                                                    ----      ----      ----
                                                    ----      ----      ----

     As of December 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994, total deferred tax assets were 
$997,036, $858,045, and $767,857, respectively, and total deferred tax 
liabilities were $427,412, $265,388, and  $263,734, respectively.  Valuation 
allowances for deferred tax assets were not significant.  The temporary 
differences that give rise to deferred tax assets and liabilities were as 
follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                    1996        1995        1994
                                                  --------   ---------   ---------
<S>                                               <C>        <C>         <C>
Compensation and employee benefits . . . . . . .  $185,537   $ 161,547   $ 157,374
Trade receivable reserves. . . . . . . . . . . .   130,692     126,209     107,320
Inventory reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   122,522     101,835      77,787
Deferred intercompany profit . . . . . . . . . .   112,467      97,555      78,317
State income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    30,343      25,602      37,394
Depreciation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  (184,270)   (178,025)   (167,773)
Other, primarily other accruals, reserves and 
  intangible assets not currently deductible . .   157,832     248,720     203,075
                                                 ---------   ---------   ---------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 555,123   $ 583,443   $ 493,494
                                                 ---------   ---------   ---------
                                                 ---------   ---------   ---------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>


                  Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

        NOTES  TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)


Note 3 - Financial Instruments

    The Company enters into foreign currency forward exchange contracts to 
hedge intercompany loans and trade accounts payable where the functional 
currency of the lending and borrowing entities are not the same.  Such 
contracts are also used to hedge foreign currency denominated third party 
trade payables and receivables.  For intercompany loans, the contracts 
require the Company to sell foreign currencies, primarily Japanese yen and 
European currencies, in exchange for primarily U.S. dollars.  For 
intercompany and trade payables and receivables, the currencies hedged are 
primarily the U.S. dollar, Japanese yen and European currencies.  At December 
31, 1996, 1995, and 1994, the Company held $1.0 billion, $723 million, and 
$717 million, respectively, of foreign currency forward exchange contracts.  
The contracts outstanding at December 31, 1996 mature in 1997.  These 
contracts are marked to market each month.  The resulting gains or losses are 
reflected in income and are generally offset by losses or gains on the 
exposures being hedged.

    The Company purchases U.S. dollar call options as a hedge of anticipated 
intercompany purchases by foreign subsidiaries whose functional currency is 
not the U.S. dollar.  These contracts give the Company the right, but not the 
requirement, to purchase U.S. dollars in exchange for foreign currencies, 
primarily Japanese yen and European currencies, at predetermined exchange 
rates. At December 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994, the Company held $431 million, 
$330 million, and $370 million, respectively, of U.S. dollar call option 
contracts. The contracts outstanding at December 31, 1996 mature in 1997.  
Realized and unrealized gains and losses on contracts that qualify as hedges 
of anticipated purchases by foreign subsidiaries are recognized in the same 
period that the foreign currency exposure is recognized.  Contracts that do 
not qualify for hedge accounting are marked to market each month, and the 
resulting gains or losses are reflected in income.

    The Company purchases foreign currency put options as a hedge against the 
effect of exchange rate fluctuations on income.  These contracts give the 
Company the right, but not the requirement, to sell foreign currencies, 
primarily Japanese yen and European currencies, in exchange for U.S. dollars 
at predetermined exchange rates.  These contracts are marked to market each 
month. The resulting gains or losses are reflected in income and are 
generally offset by losses or gains on the exposures being hedged.  There 
were no such contracts outstanding at December 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994.  

    The gross unrealized holding gains/(losses) on current investment 
securities and those maturing after one year totaled $4.2 million and $(11.0) 
million at December 31, 1996, respectively; $5.6 million and $(4.3) million 
at December 31, 1995, respectively; and $2.5 million and $(9.2) million at 
December 31, 1994, respectively.

<PAGE>



                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

    The carrying values and fair values of certain of the Company's financial 
instruments as of December 31 are shown in the table below.  The carrying 
values of all other financial instruments approximate their estimated fair 
values. Fair value is the quoted market price of the instrument held or the 
quoted market price of a similar instrument.  The counterparties to financial 
instruments consist of select major international financial institutions.  
The Company does not expect any losses from nonperformance by these 
counterparties.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                  (millions of dollars)
                                           1996                         1995                        1994     
                                  -------------------         -------------------         --------------------
                                  Carrying       Fair         Carrying       Fair         Carrying       Fair
                                   Value        Value          Value        Value          Value        Value
                                  -------------------         -------------------         --------------------
<S>                              <C>        <C>               <C>         <C>             <C>          <C>
Investment  Securities:
  Current . . . . . . . . . . .  $  12.9    $  12.7           $  34.5     $  34.6         $  25.1      $  25.2
  Maturing after One Year . . .    665.6      659.0             422.5       423.7           316.2        309.4

Total Long-Term Debt. . . . . .   (935.2)    (917.0)           (436.6)     (441.8)         (308.8)      (276.1)

Foreign Currency Forward
  Exchange Contracts:
  (Payable) position  . . . . .    (10.9)     (10.9)             (2.6)       (2.6)           (1.6)        (1.6)
   Receivable position. . . . .     18.6       18.6               5.2         5.2             6.5          6.5

Foreign Currency Option
   Contracts. . . . . . . . . .      2.8        1.6              10.6         7.8            14.7          0.7

</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                        Abbott  Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                 NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)


Note 4 - Debt and Lines of Credit
(dollars in thousands)

The following is a summary of long-term debt at December 31:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                 1996        1995       1994 
                                                               --------    --------   --------
<S>                                                            <C>         <C>        <C>
6.5% debentures, due 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     $250,000    $     --   $     --
5.6% debentures, due 2003  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      200,000     200,000    200,000
6.8% debentures, due 2005  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      150,000     150,000         --
6.4% debentures, due 2006. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      250,000          --         -- 
Other, primarily industrial revenue bonds at 
  various rates of interest, averaging 4.3 %
  at December 31, 1996, and due at
  various dates through 2023 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       82,898      85,198     87,091
                                                               --------    --------   --------
Total, net of current maturities . . . . . . . . . . . . .     $932,898    $435,198   $287,091
                                                               --------    --------   --------
                                                               --------    --------   --------
</TABLE>

Payments required on long-term debt outstanding at December 31, 1996 are 
$2,329 in 1997, $2,582 in 1998, $800 in 1999, none in 2000, and $250,000 in 
2001.

    At December 31, 1996, the Company had $1,505,000 of unused domestic lines 
of credit which support domestic commercial paper borrowing arrangements.  
Related compensating balances, which are subject to withdrawal by the Company 
at its option, and commitment fees are not material.  The Company's weighted 
average interest rate on short-term borrowings was 5.8% at December 31, 1996 
and 1995, and 6.1% at December 31, 1994. 

    The Company may issue up to $400,000 of senior debt securities in the 
future under a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission in 1996.

<PAGE>

                        Abbott  Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                 NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

Note 5 - Retirement Plans
(dollars in thousands)

Retirement plans consist of defined benefit, defined contribution, and 
medical and dental plans.

    Pension benefits for the Company's defined benefit plans generally are 
based on an employee's years of service and compensation near retirement.  
Certain plan benefits would vest and certain restrictions on the use of plan 
assets would take effect upon a change in control of the Company.

    Net pension cost for the Company's significant defined benefit plans 
includes the following components:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                 1996        1995        1994 
                                                              ---------   ---------   ---------
<S>                                                           <C>         <C>         <C>
Service cost - benefits earned during the year . . . . . .    $  81,243   $  59,636   $  67,768
Interest cost on projected benefit obligations . . . . . .      111,449      94,101      85,414
Return on assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (224,412)   (274,844)        915
Net amortization and deferral. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       80,886     139,491    (125,186)
                                                              ---------   ---------   ---------
Net pension cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    $  49,166   $  18,384   $  28,911
                                                              ---------   ---------   ---------
                                                              ---------   ---------   ---------

The plans' funded status at December 31 was as follows:

                                                                 1996        1995        1994 
                                                             ----------   ----------  ----------
Actuarial present value of benefit obligations -
  Vested benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $1,338,376   $1,036,937  $  799,425
  Nonvested benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      163,033      140,232     104,120
                                                             ----------   ----------  ----------
Accumulated benefit obligations. . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $1,501,409   $1,177,169  $  903,545
                                                             ----------   ----------  ----------

Plans' assets at fair value, principally
  listed securities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $1,828,989   $1,600,368  $1,321,051
Actuarial present value of projected
  benefit obligations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1,771,191    1,494,348   1,147,024
                                                             ----------   ----------  ----------
Projected benefit obligations less 
  than plans' assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       57,798      106,020     174,027
Unrecognized net transitional asset. . . . . . . . . . . .      (42,728)     (52,915)    (63,866)
Unrecognized prior service cost. . . . . . . . . . . . . .       11,968       12,532      15,274
Unrecognized net (gain) loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       51,531      (11,315)   (101,139)
                                                             ----------   ----------  ----------
Net prepaid pension cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $   78,569   $   54,322  $   24,296
                                                             ----------   ----------  ----------
                                                             ----------   ----------  ----------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                       Abbott  Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                 NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)


Assumptions used for the Company's major defined benefit plan as of December 
31 include:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   1996        1995        1994 
                                                                  ------      ------      ------
<S>                                                               <C>         <C>         <C>
Discount rate for determining obligations
  and interest cost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        7 1/2%      7 1/4%      8 1/2%
Expected aggregate average long-term change
  in compensation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .           5%          4%          4%
Expected long-term rate of return on assets. . . . . . . .           9%          9%          9%

</TABLE>

The Stock Retirement Plan is the principal defined contribution plan.  
Company contributions to this plan were $54,883 in 1996, $48,845 in 1995, and 
$45,124 in 1994, equal to 7.33 percent of dividends declared, as provided 
under the plan.

    The Company provides certain medical and dental benefits to qualifying 
domestic retirees.  Net post- retirement health care cost includes the 
following components:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                 1996        1995         1994  
                                                                -------     -------     -------
<S>                                                             <C>         <C>         <C>
Service cost - benefits earned during the year . . . . . .      $28,302     $21,328     $27,605
Interest cost on accumulated post-retirement
  benefit obligations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       40,822      36,412      35,578
Return on assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       (9,372)    (16,798)        810
Net amortization and deferral. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        7,128      11,980      (1,561)
                                                                -------     -------     -------
Net post-retirement health care cost . . . . . . . . . . .      $66,880     $52,922     $62,432
                                                                -------     -------     -------
                                                                -------     -------     -------

The plans' funded status at December 31 was as follows:

                                                                 1996        1995        1994    
                                                              ---------   ---------   ---------

Actuarial present value of benefit obligations -
  Retirees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    $ 196,800   $ 174,782   $ 164,153
  Fully eligible active participants . . . . . . . . . . .      138,564     131,669     113,128
  Other active participants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      264,267     250,518     186,778
                                                              ---------   ---------   ---------
Accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations. . . . . .      599,631     556,969     464,059
Plans' assets at fair value, principally listed securities       87,719      95,530      94,297
                                                              ---------   ---------   ---------
Accumulated  post-retirement benefit obligations
  in excess of plans' assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (511,912)   (461,439)   (369,762)
Unrecognized net loss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      152,030     168,307     129,477
                                                              ---------   ---------   ---------
Accrued post-retirement health care cost . . . . . . . . .    $(359,882)  $(293,132)  $(240,285)
                                                              ---------   ---------   ---------
                                                              ---------   ---------   ---------

</TABLE>

<PAGE>
                    Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

The discount rate and expected long-term rate of return on assets assumptions 
are identical to those used for the Company's major defined benefit plan.  A 
6 percent annual rate of increase in the per capita cost of covered health 
care benefits was assumed for 1997.  This rate is assumed to decrease to 5 
percent in 1998 and remain at that level thereafter.  A one-percentage-point 
increase in the assumed health care cost trend rates would increase the 
accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations as of December 31, 1996 by 
approximately $96,900 and the total of the service and interest cost 
components of net post-retirement health care cost for the year then ended by 
approximately $16,800.

    The Company provides certain other post-employment benefits, primarily 
salary continuation plans, to qualifying domestic employees, and accrues for 
the related cost over the service lives of the employees. 

<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

Note 6 - Investment Securities
(dollars in thousands)


The following is a summary of investment securities at December 31:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              1996        1995        1994 
                                                            --------   ---------   --------
<S>                                                         <C>        <C>         <C>
Current Investment Securities
 Time deposits and certificates of deposit . . . . . . . .  $    800   $  10,000   $  8,050
 Other, primarily debt obligations issued or guaranteed
    by various governments or government agencies. . . . .    12,075      24,500     17,006
                                                            --------   ---------   --------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 12,875   $  34,500   $ 25,056
                                                            --------   ---------   --------
                                                            --------   ---------   --------


                                                              1996        1995       1994
                                                            --------   ---------   --------
Investment Securities Maturing after One Year
  Time deposits and certificates of deposit,
    maturing through 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $432,200   $161,500   $  66,500
  Corporate debt obligations, maturing through 2008. . . .    84,310     86,728     104,696
  Debt obligations issued or guaranteed
    by various governments or government agencies,
    maturing through 2023. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   149,043    174,319     144,999
                                                            --------   ---------   --------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $665,553   $422,547    $316,195
                                                            --------   ---------   --------
                                                            --------   ---------   --------
</TABLE>

     The Company generally holds investment securities until maturity.  All 
investment securities classified as current as of December 31, 1996 mature 
before January 1, 1998.

     Of the investment securities listed above, $676,251, $452,445, and 
$334,128, were held at December 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994, respectively, by 
subsidiaries operating in Puerto Rico under tax incentive grants expiring 
from 2002 through 2007.  In addition, these  subsidiaries held cash 
equivalents of $197,600 and $164,700 at December 31, 1995 and 1994, 
respectively.

<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)


Note 7 - Incentive Stock Program

     The 1996 Incentive Stock Program authorizes the granting of stock 
options, stock appreciation rights, limited stock appreciation rights, 
restricted stock awards, performance units, and foreign qualified benefits.  
Stock options, limited stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, 
and foreign qualified benefits have been granted and are currently 
outstanding under this program and prior programs.  The purchase price of 
shares under option must equal the fair market value of the common stock on 
the date of grant and the maximum term of the option is ten years.  Options 
granted in 1996, 1995, and 1994 vest equally over three years.

     Limited stock appreciation rights have been granted to certain holders 
of stock options and can be exercised, by surrendering related stock options, 
only upon a change in control of the Company.  At December 31, 1996, 
5,737,882 options, with a weighted average exercise price of $32.98 per 
share, were subject to limited stock appreciation rights.  Upon a change in 
control of the Company, all outstanding stock options become fully 
exercisable, and all terms and conditions of all restricted stock awards are 
deemed satisfied.

     At December 31, 1996, 11,075,823 shares were reserved for future grants 
under the 1996 Program.  Data with respect to stock options under the 1996 
Program and prior programs are as follows:

                     OPTIONS OUTSTANDING      EXERCISABLE OPTIONS
                     -------------------      -------------------
                                Weighted                 Weighted
                                 Average                  Average
                                Exercise                 Exercise
                      Shares       Price      Shares        Price
                    ----------    ------    ----------    -------
January 1, 1994     30,077,038    $22.26
Granted              1,894,815     28.89
Exercised           (3,247,207)    11.70
Lapsed                (436,488)    31.77
                    ----------    ------
December 31, 1994   28,288,158     23.77    21,819,935     $21.75
                                            ----------    -------
                                            ----------    -------
Granted              5,827,269     39.17
Exercised           (4,332,070)    16.28
Lapsed                (282,570)    33.81
                    ----------    ------
December 31, 1995   29,500,787     27.82    18,654,652      23.40
                                            ----------    -------
                                            ----------    -------
Granted              6,121,564     43.96
Exercised           (5,103,701)    20.38
Lapsed                (281,555)    40.39
                    ----------    ------
December 31, 1996   30,237,095    $32.22    19,957,414     $27.51
                    ----------    ------    ----------    -------
                    ----------    ------    ----------    -------

<PAGE>


                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              Options Outstanding at                      Exercisable Options
                December 31, 1996                        at Dececember 31, 1996
- ------------------------------------------------------   ----------------------
                                Weighted      Weighted               Weighted 
                                 Average       Average                Average
Range of                        Remaining     Exercise               Exercise
Exercise Prices      Shares    Life (Years)    Price       Shares     Price
- -----------------  ----------  -----------    --------    ---------   -------
<S>                <C>         <C>            <C>         <C>         <C>
    $11 to $32      9,775,006      3.8        $20.69      9,190,486   $20.17
    $33 to $38      9,024,093      5.3         32.71      8,988,322    32.70
    $39 to $55     11,437,996      8.8         41.70      1,778,606    39.22
                   ----------  -----------    --------    ---------   -------

                   30,237,095      6.1        $32.22     19,957,414   $27.51
                   ----------  -----------    --------    ---------   -------
                   ----------  -----------    --------    ---------   -------
</TABLE>

The Company measures compensation cost using the intrinsic value-based method 
of accounting.  Had compensation cost been determined using the fair market 
value-based accounting method for options granted in 1996 and 1995, pro forma 
net income for 1996 and 1995 would have been $1.845 billion and $1.674 
billion, respectively, and pro forma earnings per common share for 1996 and 
1995 would have been $2.36 and $2.11, respectively.  The weighted average 
fair value of an option granted in 1996 and 1995, was $11.63 and $11.37, 
respectively.  For purposes of fair market value disclosures, the fair market 
value of an option grant was estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing 
model with the following assumptions:

                                        1996           1995
                                       -----          -----

Risk-Free Interest Rate                5.25%          6.75%
Average Life of Options (years)        5.2            5.2
Volatility                            25.0%          25.0%
Dividend Yield                         1.9%           2.1%

<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)


Note 8 - Quarterly Results (Unaudited)                               

(dollars in millions except per share data)
                                            1996       1995        1994
                                          --------    --------    -------- 
FIRST QUARTER
Net Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $2,672.2    $2,524.4    $2,215.2
Gross Profit . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1,516.0     1,435.5     1,251.0
Net Earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     480.1       417.3       366.2
Earnings Per Common Share. . . . . . . .       .61         .52         .45

SECOND QUARTER
Net Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $2,699.2    $2,500.3    $2,204.1
Gross Profit . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1,555.3     1,414.3     1,257.2
Net Earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     470.4       424.0       376.6
Earnings Per Common Share. . . . . . . .       .60         .53         .46

THIRD QUARTER
Net Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $2,646.2    $2,390.8    $2,254.8
Gross Profit . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1,468.9     1,320.5     1,239.0
Net Earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     420.9       382.0       351.3
Earnings Per Common Share. . . . . . . .       .54         .48         .43

FOURTH QUARTER
Net Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $2,995.9    $2,596.7    $2,481.9
Gross Profit . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1,741.3     1,516.1     1,415.0
Net Earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      510.6       465.4       422.6
Earnings Per Common Share. . . . . . . .        .66         .59         .53

<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)


Note 9 - Litigation and Environmental Matters

     The Company is involved in various claims and legal proceedings 
including numerous antitrust suits and investigations in connection with the 
sale and marketing of infant formula products and the pricing of prescription 
pharmaceuticals.   In addition, the Company has been identified as a 
potentially responsible party for investigation and cleanup costs at a number 
of locations in the United States and Puerto Rico under Federal remediation 
laws and is voluntarily investigating potential contamination at a number of 
Company-owned locations.

     The infant formula antitrust suits allege that the Company conspired 
with one or more of its competitors to fix prices, restrain trade and 
monopolize the market for infant formula products in violation of state and 
federal antitrust laws.  The suits have been brought on behalf of 
individuals, the Nestle Food Company, and state government agencies and name 
the Company, certain other infant formula manufacturers and, in some 
instances, the American Academy of Pediatrics as defendants.  The cases seek 
treble damages, civil penalties and other relief.  On June 19, 1995, a jury  
in federal court in Los Angeles, California found in favor of the Company and 
the American Academy of Pediatrics in the infant formula antitrust case 
brought by Nestle Food Company.  On January 9, 1997, the Ninth Circuit Court 
of Appeals affirmed the jury's verdict.  Nestle has the right to 
petition for certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.   In addition, in 
1996, the Company entered into agreements to settle, pending court approval, 
a majority of the other antitrust suits.  Under these settlement agreements, 
the Company has agreed to pay $25 million in cash and provide $7.5 million of 
infant formula products.

     The prescription pharmaceutical pricing antitrust suits allege that 
various pharmaceutical manufacturers have conspired to fix prices for 
prescription pharmaceuticals and/or to discriminate in pricing to retail 
pharmacies by providing discounts to mail-order pharmacies, institutional 
pharmacies and HMOs in violation of state and federal antitrust laws.  The 
suits have been brought on behalf of individuals and retail pharmacies and 
name both the Company and certain other pharmaceutical manufacturers and 
pharmaceutical wholesalers and at least one mail-order pharmacy company as 
defendants.  The cases seek treble damages, civil penalties, injunctive and 
other relief.  The Company has filed or intends to file a response to each of 
the complaints denying all substantive allegations.

     The Company expects that within the next year, legal proceedings will 
occur which may result in a change in the estimated reserves recorded by the 
Company.  While it is not feasible to predict the outcome of such pending 
claims, proceedings, investigations and remediation activities with 
certainty, management is of the opinion that their ultimate disposition 
should not have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial 
position, cash flows, or results of operations.

<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

Note 10 - Business Acquisitions

     In 1996, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of 
MediSense, Inc., a manufacturer of blood glucose self-testing products.  Of 
the cash purchase price of approximately $867 million, $219 million was 
allocated to goodwill; $635 million was allocated to other intangible assets; 
and $37 million was charged against earnings for in-process research and 
development. Goodwill and other intangible assets will be amortized on a 
straight-line basis over 25 to 40 years.  In December 1994, the Company 
purchased the operating assets of the nutritional business of Puleva Union 
Industrial y Agroganadera, S.A. for $106 million.  Had these acquisitions 
taken place on January 1 of the previous years, consolidated sales and income 
would not have been significantly different from reported amounts.

     The Company currently owns 70% of the capital stock of a Japanese 
subsidiary.  In 1996,  the Company entered into an agreement with the 
minority interest shareholder to purchase their 30% ownership over a ten-year 
period.

Note 11 - Industry Segment and Geographic Area Information
(dollars in millions)

The Company's principal business is the discovery, development, manufacture, 
and sale of a broad and diversified line of health care products and 
services.  The Company's products are generally sold directly to retailers, 
wholesalers, hospitals, health care facilities, laboratories, physicians' 
offices and government agencies throughout the world.  These products have 
been classified into the following industry segments:

PHARMACEUTICAL AND NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS - Included are a broad line of adult 
and pediatric pharmaceuticals and nutritionals, which are sold primarily on 
the prescription or recommendation of physicians or other health care 
professionals; consumer products; agricultural and chemical products; and 
bulk pharmaceuticals.

HOSPITAL AND LABORATORY PRODUCTS - Included are diagnostic systems for 
consumers, blood banks, hospitals, commercial laboratories and alternate-care 
testing sites; intravenous and irrigation fluids and related administration 
equipment; drugs and drug delivery systems; anesthetics; critical care 
products; diagnostic imaging; and other medical specialty products for 
hospitals and alternate care sites.

     In the following tables, net sales by industry segment and geographic 
area include both sales to customers, as reported in the Consolidated 
Statement of Earnings, and inter-area sales (for geographic areas) at sales 
prices which approximate market.  Operating profit excludes corporate 
expenses.

<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)


Industry Segments (a)                             1996        1995       1994 
                                                -------     -------     ------
Net Sales
  Pharmaceutical and nutritional . . . . . . .  $ 6,307     $ 5,629     $4,951
  Hospital and laboratory  . . . . . . . . . .    4,706       4,383      4,205
                                                -------     -------     ------
Total  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $11,013     $10,012     $9,156
                                                -------     -------     ------
                                                -------     -------     ------

Operating Profit
  Pharmaceutical and nutritional (b) . . . . .  $ 1,898     $ 1,586     $1,385
  Hospital and laboratory  . . . . . . . . . .      810         853        818
                                                -------     -------     ------
  Operating Profit . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    2,708       2,439      2,203
  Corporate (income) expense, net (c). . . . .      (13)         26         23
  Interest (income) expense, net . . . . . . .       51          18         13
                                                -------     -------     ------
Earnings Before Taxes. . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 2,670     $ 2,395     $2,167
                                                -------     -------     ------
                                                -------     -------     ------

Identifiable Assets
  Pharmaceutical and nutritional . . . . . . .  $ 4,117     $ 3,866     $3,415
  Hospital and laboratory (d). . . . . . . . .    4,977       3,782      3,596
  General corporate (e). . . . . . . . . . . .    2,032       1,765      1,513
                                                -------     -------     ------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $11,126     $ 9,413     $8,524
                                                -------     -------     ------
                                                -------     -------     ------

Capital Expenditures
  Pharmaceutical and nutritional . . . . . . .   $  374      $  459     $  478
  Hospital and laboratory. . . . . . . . . . .      571         483        447
  General corporate. . . . . . . . . . . . . .        4           5          4
                                                -------     -------     ------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $  949      $  947      $ 929
                                                -------     -------     ------
                                                -------     -------     ------

Depreciation and Amortization
  Pharmaceutical and nutritional . . . . . . .   $  285      $  252     $  213
  Hospital and laboratory (d). . . . . . . . .      397         311        295
  General corporate. . . . . . . . . . . . . .        4           3          3
                                                -------     -------     ------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $  686      $  566     $  511
                                                -------     -------     ------
                                                -------     -------     ------
<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)


(a) Net sales and operating profit in 1996 were unfavorably affected by the 
relatively stronger U.S. dollar, and, in 1995, were favorably impacted by the 
relatively weaker U.S. dollar. Net sales and operating profit in 1994 were 
not significantly impacted by the fluctuations in the U.S. dollar.

(b)   The operating profit for 1994 was unfavorably impacted by charges 
against earnings for certain  litigation.

(c)  Corporate expenses not allocated to segments include results from joint 
ventures, net foreign exchange losses, minority interest expense and other 
general corporate income and expense.  Net foreign exchange losses were $21.8 
in 1996, $25.2 in 1995, and $30.8 in 1994.

(d)  In 1996, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of 
MediSense, Inc.

(e)  General corporate assets are principally prepaid income taxes, cash and 
cash equivalents, investment securities, and investments in joint ventures.

<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)


Geographic Areas (a)                              1996       1995       1994  
                                                -------     -------    ------

Net Sales
  United States:
    Domestic and export customers. . . . . . .  $ 6,786     $ 6,121    $5,758
    Inter-area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1,762       1,371     1,143
                                                -------     -------    ------
  Total United States. . . . . . . . . . . . .    8,548       7,492     6,901
  Latin America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      619         540       490
  Europe, Mideast and Africa . . . . . . . . .    2,135       1,918     1,662
  Pacific, Far East and Canada . . . . . . . .    1,473       1,433     1,246
  Eliminations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   (1,762)     (1,371)   (1,143)
                                                -------     -------    ------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $11,013     $10,012    $9,156
                                                -------     -------    ------
                                                -------     -------    ------

Operating Profit (b)
  United States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $2,012      $1,653    $1,558
  Latin America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      167         177       131
  Europe, Mideast and Africa . . . . . . . . .      381         385       352
  Pacific, Far East and Canada . . . . . . . .      229         234       182
  Eliminations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      (93)        (10)      (20)
                                                -------     -------    ------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $2,696      $2,439    $2,203
                                                -------     -------    ------
                                                -------     -------    ------

Identifiable Assets,
Excluding General Corporate Assets (d) (e)
  United States  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $6,120      $5,081    $4,809
  Latin America  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      436         330       274
  Europe, Mideast and Africa . . . . . . . . .    1,817       1,517     1,298
  Pacific, Far East and Canada . . . . . . . .    1,015         927       827
  Eliminations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (294)       (207)     (197)
                                                -------     -------    ------
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $9,094      $7,648    $7,011
                                                -------     -------    ------
                                                -------     -------    ------
<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                   REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


To the Shareholders of Abbott Laboratories:

     We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Abbott 
Laboratories (an Illinois corporation) and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 
1996, 1995, and 1994, and the related consolidated statements of earnings, 
shareholders' investment, and cash flows for the years then ended.  These 
financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management.  Our 
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based 
on our audits.

     We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing 
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to 
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free 
of material misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, 
evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  
An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and 
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall 
financial statement presentation.  We believe that our audits provide a 
reasonable basis for our opinion.

     In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present 
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Abbott 
Laboratories and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994, and 
the results of their operations and their cash flows for the years then ended 
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

Chicago, Illinois                                Arthur Andersen  LLP
January 15, 1997



                     AUDIT COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT


     The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is composed of six 
non-employee directors.  The Audit Committee oversees the Company's financial 
reporting process on behalf of the Board of Directors.  The Committee held 
two meetings during 1996.  In fulfilling its responsibility, the Committee 
recommended to the Board of Directors, subject to shareholder approval, the 
selection of the Company's independent public accountants.  The Audit 
Committee discussed with the internal auditors and the independent public 
accountants the overall scope and specific plans for their respective audits. 
The Committee also discussed the Company's consolidated financial statements 
and the adequacy of the Company's internal controls.  During the Audit 
Committee meetings the Committee met with the internal auditors and 
independent public accountants, without management present, to discuss the 
results of their audits, their evaluations of the Company's internal 
controls, and the overall quality of the Company's financial reporting.  The 
meetings also were designed to facilitate any private communication with the 
Committee desired by the internal auditors or independent public accountants.

John R. Walter
Chairman, Audit Committee
<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                   MANAGEMENT REPORT ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


     Management has prepared, and is responsible for, the Company's 
consolidated financial statements and related notes.  They have been prepared 
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and necessarily 
include amounts based on judgments and estimates by management.  All 
financial information in this annual report is consistent with the 
consolidated financial statements.

     The Company maintains internal accounting control systems and related 
policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance that assets 
are safeguarded, that transactions are executed in accordance with 
management's authorization and properly recorded, and that accounting records 
may be relied upon for the preparation of consolidated financial statements 
and other financial information.  The design, monitoring, and revision of 
internal accounting control systems involve, among other things, management's 
judgment with respect to the relative cost and expected benefits of specific 
control measures.  The Company also maintains an internal auditing function 
which evaluates and formally reports on the adequacy and effectiveness of 
internal accounting controls, policies, and procedures.

     The Company's consolidated financial statements have been audited by 
independent public accountants who have expressed their opinion with respect 
to the fairness of these statements.

Duane  L. Burnham
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer



Gary P. Coughlan
Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer



Theodore A. Olson
Vice President and Controller

<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                             FINANCIAL REVIEW


RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

SALES
The following table details the components of sales growth by industry segment
and geographic area for the last three years:

                                Total %        Components of Change %
                                               ----------------------
Worldwide Sales                 Change      Price       Volume    Exchange
- ---------------                 ------      -----       ------    --------
Total Worldwide
     1996 vs. 1995                10.0        0.1        11.5        (1.6)
     1995 vs. 1994                 9.4       (0.1)        8.0         1.5 
     1994 vs. 1993                 8.9        0.8         8.0         0.1
Domestic
     1996 vs. 1995                10.9        0.1        10.8           -
     1995 vs. 1994                 6.2       (0.8)        7.0           -
     1994 vs. 1993                 7.6        1.0         6.6           -
International
     1996 vs. 1995                 8.7        0.1        12.5        (3.9)
     1995 vs. 1994                14.5        1.1         9.5         3.9
     1994 vs. 1993                11.1        0.5        10.4         0.2
     
Pharmaceutical and 
  Nutritional Products
- ----------------------
Total Worldwide
     1996 vs. 1995                12.0        1.5        11.9        (1.4)
     1995 vs. 1994                13.7        1.0        12.1         0.6
     1994 vs. 1993                12.8        1.8        11.1        (0.1)
Domestic
     1996 vs. 1995                12.8        1.5        11.3           -
     1995 vs. 1994                 9.0        0.1         8.9           -
     1994 vs. 1993                10.8        1.8         9.0           -
International
     1996 vs. 1995                10.6        1.5        13.2        (4.1)
     1995 vs. 1994                23.6        2.9        18.8         1.9
     1994 vs. 1993                17.2        1.9        15.6        (0.3)

<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                         FINANCIAL REVIEW (CONTINUED)


Hospital  and 
Laboratory Products
- ---------------------
Total Worldwide
     1996 vs. 1995                 7.4       (1.7)       10.8        (1.7)
     1995 vs. 1994                 4.2       (1.3)        3.0         2.5 
     1994 vs. 1993                 4.6       (0.4)        4.7         0.3
Domestic
     1996 vs. 1995                 7.9       (2.2)       10.1           -
     1995 vs. 1994                 2.1       (2.1)        4.2           -
     1994 vs. 1993                 3.1       (0.2)        3.3           -
International
     1996 vs. 1995                 6.8       (1.2)       11.7        (3.7)
     1995 vs. 1994                 6.9       (0.5)        1.9         5.5 
     1994 vs. 1993                 6.5       (0.6)        6.5         0.6
     

     Sales of new products in the pharmaceutical and nutritional segment in 
1996 are estimated to be $263 million.  New product sales in the hospital and 
laboratories segment are estimated to be $760, including $146 for MediSense, 
Inc. products.   Sales in international markets represented approximately 40 
percent of worldwide sales in 1996 and 1995, and 38 percent of worldwide sales
in 1994.

     The Company holds patents on Hytrin in the United States and several 
major markets throughout the world.  The Company is facing a number of patent 
challenges from generic manufacturers in the United States, and the ultimate 
outcome of this litigation cannot be predicted.

<PAGE>

                     Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                         FINANCIAL REVIEW (CONTINUED)


     The classes of products which contributed at least 10 percent to 
consolidated net sales in at least one of the last three years were:

(dollars in millions)             1996        1995        1994 
- --------------------             ------      ------     -------
Anti-Infectives                  $1,407      $1,291     $   994
Adult Nutritionals                1,226       1,172       1,011
Infant Formula                    1,153       1,109       1,180

Increases in anti-infectives and adult nutritionals were primarily due to 
unit increases.  Worldwide sales of infant formula increased in 1996 pimarily 
due to unit increases and decreased in 1995 primarily due to unit decreases.

OPERATING EARNINGS
Gross profit margins (sales less cost of products sold, including freight and 
distribution expenses) were 57.0 percent of sales in 1996, 56.8 percent in 
1995, and 56.4 percent in 1994.  The increases in gross profit margins were 
due primarily to favorable product mix, especially higher sales of 
pharmaceuticals, and productivity improvements, partially offset by higher 
project expenses for new products, higher manufacturing capacity costs for 
anticipated unit growth, and the effects of inflation and competitive pricing 
pressures in some product lines.  Gross profit margins were unfavorably 
affected by the relatively stronger U.S. dollar in 1996, and were favorably 
impacted in 1995 by the relatively weaker U.S. dollar.  Fluctuations in the 
U.S. dollar had an insignificant impact on gross profit margins in 1994.  In 
the U.S., states receive price rebates from manufacturers of infant formula 
under the federally subsidized Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, 
Infants, and Children (WIC).  The WIC rebate programs continue to have a 
negative effect on the gross profit margins of this portion of the infant 
formula business.

     Research and development expense increased to $1.205 billion in 1996, 
including $37 million of acquired in-process research and development 
relating to the purchase of MediSense, Inc.  Research and development for 1995
included a similar charge for the acquisition of certain technologies.  
Research and development represented 10.9 percent of net sales in 1996, 
compared to 10.7 percent of net sales in 1995, and 10.5 percent of net sales 
in 1994.  Research and development expenditures continue to be concentrated 
on pharmaceutical and diagnostic products.

<PAGE>

                     Abbott  Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                        FINANCIAL REVIEW (CONTINUED)


     Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 10.3 percent in 
1996, net of the favorable effect of the relatively stronger U.S. dollar of 
1.6 percent, compared to increases of  8.6 percent in 1995, and 3.3 percent 
in 1994.  The increases reflect additional selling and marketing to support 
new product launches in the pharmaceutical and nutritional products segment.  
The 1995 increase also reflects contributions to the Company's charitable 
foundation.  

INTEREST (INCOME) EXPENSE, NET
Net interest expense increased in 1996 due primarily to a higher level of 
borrowings as a result of the purchase of MediSense, Inc.

OTHER (INCOME) EXPENSE, NET 
Other (income) expense, net, includes net foreign exchange losses of  $21.8 
million in 1996, $25.2 million in 1995, and $30.8 million in 1994, including 
net exchange (gains) losses on foreign currency contracts.  These contracts 
were purchased to manage the Company's exposure to foreign currency rate 
changes.  Other (income) expense, net, also includes the Company's share of 
the income from joint ventures, primarily TAP Holdings Inc. and minority 
interest expense.  

<PAGE>

                       Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                                 FINANCIAL REVIEW (CONTINUED)


TAXES ON EARNINGS

The Company's effective income tax rate for 1996 and 1995 was 29.5 percent, 
compared to 30.0 percent for 1994.   All three years' tax rates were 
unfavorably impacted by the reduction in tax incentive grants for Puerto Rico 
operations.

FINANCIAL CONDITION

CASH FLOW

The Company expects positive cash flow from operating activities to continue 
to approximate or exceed the Company's capital expenditures and cash 
dividends.

DEBT AND CAPITAL

The Company has maintained its favorable bond ratings (AAA by Standard & 
Poor's Corporation and Aa1 by Moody's Investors Service) and continues to 
have readily available financial resources, including unused domestic lines 
of credit of $1.5 billion at December 31, 1996.  These lines of credit 
support domestic commercial paper borrowing arrangements.

     In 1996, the Company filed a registration statement with the Securities 
and Exchange Commission for the issuance of $650 million of senior debt 
securities and issued $250 million of 6.4% notes due in 2006.  Under a separate
arrangement the Company also issued, in 1996, $250 million of  6.5% 
Eurodollar notes, payable in U.S. dollars, which are due in 2001.  Proceeds 
from the notes were used to retire short-term borrowings.  

     During the last three years, the Company purchased 58,436,000 of its 
common shares at a cost of $2.197 billion, including 4,335,000 shares of the 
20,000,000 shares authorized for purchase by the Board of Directors in 
October, 1996.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Capital expenditures of $949 million in 1996, $947 million in 1995, and $929 
million in 1994, were principally for upgrading and expanding manufacturing 
and research and development facilities in both segments, for laboratory 
instruments and hospital equipment placed with customers, and for 
administrative support facilities.  This level of capital expenditures is 
expected to continue, with an increased  proportion dedicated to the hospital 
and laboratory products segment. 

<PAGE>

                       Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                            FINANCIAL REVIEW (CONTINUED)

BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS

In 1996, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of MediSense, 
Inc., a manufacturer of blood glucose self-testing products.  Of the cash 
purchase price of approximately $867 million, $219 million was allocated to 
goodwill; $635 million was allocated to other intangible assets; and $37 
million was charged against earnings for in-process research and development. 
Goodwill and other intangible assets will be amortized on a straight-line 
basis over 25 to 40 years.  In December 1994, the Company purchased the 
operating assets of the nutritional business of Puleva Union Industrial y 
Agroganadera, S.A. for $106 million.  Had these acquisition taken place on 
January 1 of the previous years, consolidated sales and income would not have
been significantly different from reported amounts.

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES

The Company's primary markets are highly competitive and subject to 
substantial government regulation.  The Company expects debate to continue at 
both the federal and state level over the availability, method of delivery, 
and payment for health care products and services.  The Company believes that 
if legislation is enacted, it could have the effect of reducing prices, or 
reducing the rate of price increases for medical products and services.  
International operations are also subject to a significant degree of 
government regulation.  It is not possible to predict the extent to which the 
Company or the health care industry in general might be adversely affected by 
these factors in the future.  A more complete discussion of these factors is 
contained in Item 1, Business, in the Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is 
available upon request.

<PAGE>

                       Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                        SUMMARY OF SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

                              Year Ended December 31

                     (Dollars in Millions Except Per Share Data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                     .                                       1996          1995          1994          1993          1992 
                                                          ---------      -------       --------      --------      -------- 
<S>                                                      <C>             <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
Summary of Operations:      
Net sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $ 11,013.5      10,012.2       9,156.0       8,407.8       7,851.9
Cost of products sold . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  4,732.0       4,325.8       3,993.8       3,684.7       3,505.3
Research and development. . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  1,204.8       1,072.7         963.5         881.0         772.4
Selling, general and administrative . . . . . . .        $  2,459.6       2,230.7       2,054.5       1,988.2       1,833.2
Operating earnings (1). . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  2,617.1       2,382.9       2,144.2       1,924.0       1,526.0
Interest expense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $     95.4          69.5          49.7          54.3          53.0
Interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    (44.5)        (51.8)        (36.9)        (37.8)        (42.3)
Other (income) expense, net . . . . . . . . . . .        $   (103.4)        (30.2)        (35.3)        (35.7)         48.5
Earnings before taxes (2) . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  2,669.6       2,395.3       2,166.7       1,943.2       1,738.8
Taxes on earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    787.5         706.6         650.0         544.1         499.7
Earnings before extraordinary gain and
  accounting change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  1,882.0       1,688.7       1,516.7       1,399.1       1,239.1
Earnings per common share before extra-
  ordinary gain and accounting change . . . . . .        $     2.41          2.12          1.87          1.69          1.47

Financial Position:
Working capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    137.2         436.4         400.5         490.6         449.2
Investment securities maturing after one year . .        $    665.6         422.5         316.2         221.8         270.6
Net property and equipment. . . . . . . . . . . .        $  4,461.5       4,249.5       3,920.9       3,511.0       3,099.2
Total assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $ 11,125.6       9,412.6       8,523.7       7,688.6       6,941.2
Long-term debt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    932.9         435.2         287.1         306.8         110.0
Shareholders' investment. . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  4,820.4       4,396.8       4,049.4       3,674.9       3,347.6
Return on shareholders' investment. . . . . . . .        %     40.8          40.0          39.3          39.8          37.8
Book value per share. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $     6.22         5.58           5.04          4.48          4.00

Other  Statistics:
Gross profit margin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        %     57.0          56.8          56.4          56.2          55.4
Research and development to net sales . . . . . .        %     10.9          10.7          10.5          10.5           9.8
Capital expenditures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    949.0         947.0         929.5         952.7       1,007.2
Cash dividends declared per common share. . . . .        $      .96           .84           .76           .68           .60
  Common shares outstanding (in thousands). . . .           774,449       787,307       803,280       821,130       836,052
  Number of common shareholders . . . . . . . . .            99,513        89,831        86,324        82,947        75,703
Number of employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .            52,817        50,241        49,464        49,659        48,118
Sales per employee (in dollars) . . . . . . . . .        $  208,521       199,283       185,105       169,312       163,180
Market price per share-high . . . . . . . . . . .        $   57 3/8        44 3/4        34            30 7/8        34 1/8
Market price per share-low. . . . . . . . . . . .        $   38 1/8        30 5/8        25 3/8        22 5/8        26 1/8
Market price per share-close. . . . . . . . . . .        $   50 3/4        41 5/8        32 5/8        29 5/8        30 3/8

</TABLE>


<PAGE>

                       Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                     SUMMARY OF SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA (CONTINUED)

                              Year Ended December 31

                     (Dollars in Millions Except Per Share Data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                     .                                       1991          1990          1989          1988          1987
                                                          ---------      -------       --------      --------      -------- 
<S>                                                      <C>             <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
Summary of Operations: 
Net sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  6,876.6       6,158.7       5,379.8       4,937.0       4,387.9
Cost of products sold . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  3,140.0       2,910.1       2,556.7       2,353.2       2,101.9
Research and development. . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    666.3         567.0         501.8         454.6         361.3
Selling, general and administrative . . . . . . .        $  1,513.3       1,275.6       1,100.2       1,027.2         919.0
Operating earnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  1,557.0       1,406.0       1,221.1       1,102.0       1,005.7
Interest expense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $     63.8          91.4          74.4          85.0          77.6
Interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    (45.1)        (51.6)        (73.8)        (69.4)        (56.7)
Other (income) expense, net . . . . . . . . . . .        $     (5.9)         15.5          26.3          30.9          47.7
Earnings before taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  1,544.2       1,350.7       1,194.2       1,055.5         937.1
Taxes on earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    455.5         384.9         334.4         303.5         304.5
Earnings before extraordinary gain and
  accounting change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  1,088.7         965.8         859.8         752.0         632.6
Earnings per common share before extra-
  ordinary gain and accounting change . . . . . .        $     1.27          1.11           .96           .83           .69

Financial Position:
Working capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    661.7         460.0         719.2         913.3         668.7

Investment securities maturing after one year . .        $    340.2         314.0         300.0         285.7         292.9
Net property and equipment. . . . . . . . . . . .        $  2,662.1       2,375.8       2,090.2       1,952.6       1,741.6

Total assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  6,255.3       5,563.2       4,851.6       4,825.1       4,385.7
Long-term debt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    125.1         134.8         146.7         349.3         271.0
Shareholders' investment. . . . . . . . . . . . .        $  3,203.0       2,833.6       2,726.4       2,464.6       2,093.5
Return on shareholders' investment. . . . . . . .        %     36.1          34.7          33.1          33.0          32.7
Book value per share. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $     3.77          3.30          3.08          2.74          2.31
Other Statistics:
Gross profit margin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        %     54.3          52.7          52.5          52.3          52.1
Research and development to net sales . . . . . .        %      9.7           9.2           9.3           9.2           8.2
Capital expenditures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $    732.8         629.5         501.5         521.2         432.7
Cash dividends declared per common share. . . . .        $      .50           .42           .35           .30           .25
Common shares outstanding (in thousands). . . . .           850,530       858,282       884,958       899,384       906,924
Number of common shareholders . . . . . . . . . .            56,541        49,827        45,361        46,324        45,822
Number of employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .            45,694        43,770        40,929        38,751        37,828
Sales per employee (in dollars) . . . . . . . . .        $  150,492       140,706       131,441       127,403       115,995
Market price per share-high . . . . . . . . . . .        $   34 3/4        23 1/8        17 5/8        13 1/8        16 3/4
Market price per share-low. . . . . . . . . . . .        $   19 5/8        15 5/8        11 1/2        10 3/4        10   
Market price per share-close. . . . . . . . . . .        $   34 3/8        22 1/2        17            12            12   

</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                       Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                     SUMMARY OF SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA (CONTINUED)

                              Year Ended December 31

                     (Dollars in Millions Except Per Share Data)

                                                             1986 
                                                           --------
Summary of Operations:  
Net sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $3,807.6
Cost of products sold . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $1,868.4
Research and development. . . . . . . . . . . . .          $  284.9
Selling, general and administrative . . . . . . .          $  775.7
Operating earnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $  878.6
Interest expense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $   86.3
Interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $  (63.1)
Other (income) expense, net . . . . . . . . . . .          $   36.7
Earnings before taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $  818.7
Taxes on earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $  278.2
Earnings before extraordinary gain and
  accounting change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $  540.5
Earnings per common share before extra-
  ordinary gain and accounting change . . . . . .          $    .58

Financial Position:
Working capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $  585.4
Investment securities maturing after one year . .          $  254.2
Net property and equipment. . . . . . . . . . . .          $1,543.3
Total assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $3,865.6
Long-term debt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $  297.4
Shareholders' investment. . . . . . . . . . . . .          $1,778.9
Return on shareholders' investment. . . . . . . .          %   29.6
Book value per share. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $   1.94
 
OTHER STATISTICS:
Gross profit margin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          %   50.9
Research and development to net sales . . . . . .          %    7.5
Capital expenditures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          $  383.4
Cash dividends declared per common share. . . . .          $    .21
Common shares outstanding (in thousands). . . . .           915,356
Number of common shareholders . . . . . . . . . .            40,387
Number of employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .            35,754
Sales per employee (in dollars) . . . . . . . . .          $106,495
Market price per share-high . . . . . . . . . . .          $ 13 3/4
Market price per share-low. . . . . . . . . . . .          $  7 7/8
Market price per share-close. . . . . . . . . . .          $ 11 3/8

<PAGE>

                       Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries

                     SUMMARY OF SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA (CONTINUED)

                              Year Ended December 31

                     (Dollars in Millions Except Per Share Data)


(1)  In 1992, the Company recorded a pretax charge of $215 for costs 
associated with the voluntary withdrawal of temafloxacin from the worldwide 
market. In 1993, the Company resolved various contingencies related to the 
withdrawal and recorded a pretax credit of $70.

(2)  In 1992, the Company recorded a pretax gain of $272 on the sale of its 
investment in Boston Scientific Corporation.

<PAGE>



                                       EXHIBIT


                         SUBSIDIARIES OF ABBOTT LABORATORIES

     The following is a list of subsidiaries of the Company.  Abbott
Laboratories is not a subsidiary of any other corporation.

                                                                   State of
Domestic Subsidiaries                                            Incorporation
- ---------------------                                            -------------
Abbott Chemicals, Inc.                                           Delaware
Abbott Chemicals Plant, Inc.                                     Puerto Rico
Abbott Health Products, Inc.                                     Delaware
Abbott Home Infusion Services                                    New York
  of New York, Inc.

Abbott International Ltd.                                        Delaware
Abbott International Ltd. of Puerto Rico                         Puerto Rico
Abbott Laboratories International Co.                            Illinois
Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd.                                 Illinois

Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico)
  Incorporated                                                   Puerto Rico

Abbott Laboratories Residential
  Development Fund, Inc.                                         Illinois

Abbott Laboratories Services Corp.                               Illinois
Abbott Manufacturing, Inc.                                       Delaware
Abbott Trading Company, Inc.                                     Virgin Islands
Abbott Universal Ltd.                                            Delaware
CMM Transportation, Inc.                                         Delaware
Corporate Alliance, Inc.                                         Delaware
Fuller Research Corporation                                      Delaware
Laser Surgery Partnership                                        Illinois
MediSense Inc.                                                   Massachusetts
MediSense Import/Export, Inc.                                    Massachusetts
MediSense (U.K.), Inc.                                           Massachusetts
MediSense International, Inc.                                    Delaware 
Medlase Holding Corporation                                      Delaware
North Shore Properties, Inc.                                     Delaware
Oximetrix de Puerto Rico, Inc.                                   Delaware
Oximetrix, Inc.                                                  Delaware
Sequoia Turner Corporation                                       California
Sequoia Turner Export Corporation                                California
Solartek Products, Inc.                                          Delaware
Sorenson Research Co., Inc.                                      Utah
Swan-Myers, Incorporated                                         Indiana
TAP Holdings Inc.                                                Delaware
TAP Pharmaceuticals Inc.                                         Delaware
Tobal Products Incorporated                                      Illinois

                                                                  Country
                                                                 in Which
Foreign Subsidiaries                                             Organized
- --------------------                                             ---------
Abbott Laboratories Argentina, S.A.                              Argentina

MediSense Australia Pty. Ltd.                                    Australia

Abbott Australasia Pty. Limited                                  Australia

Abbott Laboratories Executive Superannuation                     Australia
  Pty. Limited

Abbott Laboratories Superannuation Pty. Limited                  Australia

Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H.                                       Austria

MediSense Austria GmbH                                           Austria

Abbott Hospitals Limited                                         Bahamas

Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Ltd.                            Bangladesh

Abbott, S.A.                                                     Belgium

MediSense Belgium, BVBA                                          Belgium

Abbott Ireland                                                   Bermuda

Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda.                              Brazil

Abbott Laboratories Limited                                      Canada

MediSense Canada, Inc.                                           Canada

Abbott Laboratories de Chile
  Limitada                                                       Chile

Ningbo Asia-Pacific Biotechnology Ltd.                           China, People's
                                                                 Republic of

Abbott Laboratories de Colombia, S.A.                            Colombia

Abbott Laboratories s.r.o.                                       Czech Republic 
    
Abbott Laboratories A/S                                          Denmark

MediSense Denmark AS                                             Denmark

Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador, S.A.                            Ecuador

Abbott, S.A. de C.V.                                             El Salvador

Abbott Investments Limited                                       England

Abbott Laboratories Limited                                      England

Abbott Laboratories Trustee
  Company Limited                                                England

MediSense (U.K.) Holding Ltd.                                    England

MediSense Britain Limited                                        England

MediSense Contract Manufacturing Ltd.                            England

Oy MediSense Suomi AB                                            Finland

Abbott France S.A.                                               France

Alcyon Analyzer S. A.                                            France

MediSense France SARL                                            France

Abbott G.m.b.H.                                                  Germany

MediSense Germany GmbH                                           Germany

Abbott Diagnostics G.m.b.H.                                      Germany

Abbott Laboratories (Hellas) S.A.                                Greece

FAMAR Panos A. Marinopoulos S.A.                                 Greece

FAMAR Anonymous Industrial Co. of                                Greece
 Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics

Abbott Grenada Limited                                           Grenada

Abbott Laboratorios, S.A.                                        Guatemala

Abbott Laboratories Limited                                      Hong Kong

Abbott Laboratories (Hungary) Ltd.                               Hungary

Abbott Laboratories (India) Limited                              India

Abind Healthcare Private Limited                                 India

P. T. Abbott Indonesia                                           Indonesia


Abbott Laboratories, Ireland,
  Limited                                                        Ireland

Abbott Ireland Ltd.                                              Ireland

Abbott S.p.A.                                                    Italy

Laboratori Abbott S.p.A.                                         Italy

Abbott West Indies Limited                                       Jamaica

Consolidated Laboratories Limited                                Jamaica

Abbott Japan K.K.                                                Japan

Dainabot K.K.                                                    Japan

MediSense Japan Ltd.                                             Japan

Abbott Korea Limited                                             Korea

Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L.                                      Lebanon

Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.                         Malaysia

Abbott Laboratories de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.                      Mexico

Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique)
  Limitada                                                       Mozambique

Abbott B.V.                                                      The Netherlands

Abbott Finance B.V.                                              The Netherlands

Abbott Holdings B.V.                                             The Netherlands

Abbott Laboratories B.V.                                         The Netherlands
 
Edisco B.V.                                                      The Netherlands
    
MediSense Europe B.V.                                            The Netherlands

MediSense Netherlands, B.V.                                      The Netherlands

Abbott Laboratories (N.Z.) Limited                               New Zealand

Abbott Laboratories Nigeria Limited                              Nigeria

Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited                           Pakistan

Abbott Laboratories, C.A.                                        Panama

Abbott Overseas, S.A.                                            Panama

Abbott Laboratorios S.A.                                         Peru

Abbott Laboratories                                              Philippines

l02 E. de los Santos Realty Co., Inc.                            Philippines

Union-Madison Realty Company, Inc.                               Philippines

Abbott Laboratorios, Limitada                                    Portugal

Abbott Laboratories (Singapore)
  Private Limited                                                Singapore

Abbott Laboratories South Africa
  (Pty.) Limited                                                 South Africa

Abbott Laboratories, S.A.                                        Spain

Abbott Cientifica, S.A.                                          Spain

Abbott Scandinavia A.B.                                          Sweden

MediSense Sverige AB                                             Sweden

Abbott A.G.                                                      Switzerland

Abbott Laboratories S.A.                                         Switzerland

Abbott Finance Company S.A.                                      Switzerland

MediSense AG                                                     Switzerland

Abbott Laboratories Taiwan Limited                               Taiwan

Abbott Laboratories Limited                                      Thailand

Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat
Ve Tecaret Anonim Sirketi                                        Turkey

Abbott Laboratories Uruguay Limitada                             Uruguay

Abbott Laboratories, C.A.                                        Venezuela

Medicamentos M & R, S.A.                                         Venezuela

Date:  as of January 31, 1997


<PAGE>
             SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
 
To Abbott Laboratories:
 
    We have audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
the financial statements included in the Company's Annual Report incorporated by
reference in this Form 10-K, and have issued our report thereon dated January
15, 1997. Our audits were made for the purpose of forming an opinion on those
statements taken as a whole. Schedule II is the responsibility of the Company's
management, is presented for purposes of complying with the Securities and
Exchange Commission's rules, and is not part of the basic financial statements.
This schedule has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the
audits of the basic financial statements and, in our opinion, fairly states in
all material respects the financial data required to be set forth therein in
relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.
 
                                          ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
 
Chicago, Illinois
January 15, 1997
<PAGE>
                   CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
 
    As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation by
reference of the following into the Company's previously filed S-8 Registration
Statements 33-4368 for the Abbott Laboratories 1986 Incentive Stock Program,
33-39798 for the Abbott Laboratories 1991 Incentive Stock Program, 333-09071 for
the Abbott Laboratories 1996 Incentive Stock Program, 333-13091 for the Abbott
Laboratories Ashland Union 401(k) Plan and Trust, and 33-26685, 33-51585,
33-56897, 33-65127, and 333-19511 for the Abbott Laboratories Stock Retirement
Plan and Trust and into the Company's previously filed S-3 Registration
Statements Numbers 33-50253 and 333-06155:
 
    1.  Our supplemental report dated January 15, 1997 included in this Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996; and
 
    2.  Our report dated January 15, 1997 incorporated by reference in this
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996.
 
                                          ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
 
Chicago, Illinois
March 10, 1997

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS TWELVE MONTH YEAR-TO-DATE SUMMARY FINANCIAL
INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM ABBOTT LABORATORIES 1996 FORM 10K AND IS
QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FORM 10K FILING.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<CASH>                                         110,209
<SECURITIES>                                    12,875
<RECEIVABLES>                                1,862,231
<ALLOWANCES>                                   153,424
<INVENTORY>                                  1,238,205
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                             4,480,902
<PP&E>                                       8,370,283
<DEPRECIATION>                               3,908,740
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              11,125,600
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                        4,343,717
<BONDS>                                        932,898
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                       694,380
<OTHER-SE>                                   4,125,802
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                11,125,600
<SALES>                                     11,013,460
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                            11,013,460
<CGS>                                        4,731,998
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                4,731,998
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                             1,204,841<F1>
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                 7,389
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              95,445
<INCOME-PRETAX>                              2,669,550
<INCOME-TAX>                                   787,517
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                          1,882,033
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                 1,882,033
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.41
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     2.38
<FN>
<F1>30) OTHER EXPENSES CONSIST OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPENSES
</FN>
        

</TABLE>


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