Becton Dickinson Announces Election of Margaretha af Ugglas to Board of Directors.

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 27, 1997--Becton Dickinson and Company (NYSE: BDX) announced today the election of Baroness Margaretha af Ugglas to the Board of Directors.

Mrs. Ugglas, a native and resident of Sweden, served as Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1991 to 1994. She is a past chairman of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and was elected to the European Parliament in 1995. Prior to her tenure as foreign minister, Mrs. Ugglas was for twenty years a member of the Swedish Parliament and served on committees in the areas of employment, industry and commerce, and foreign affairs. She also served as a member of the Council of Europe. She has held leadership positions with a number of civic and philanthropic organizations, and is currently a member of the boards of Stockholm University and the Jarl Hjalmarsson Foundation. "As a multinational firm engaged in continuing international expansion, Becton Dickinson is pleased to welcome Mrs. Ugglas as our first European outside director," said Clateo Castellini, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO. "She is highly respected internationally for her foreign affairs expertise, business acumen and civic leadership, and brings to our company a valuable perspective on the challenges and opportunities we face in managing the growth of our businesses across geographic and cultural borders."

Becton Dickinson manufactures and sells a broad range of medical supplies and diagnostic systems for use by health care professionals, medical research institutions and the general public. For its most recent fiscal year, the company reported revenues of $2.8 billion.

CONTACT: Becton Dickinson and Company

Camilla Jenkins, 201/847-5369