Exhibit 99(ii)

          AMERICAN STANDARD TO PURSUE SALEOF ITS MEDICAL SYSTEMS GROUP


         PISCATAWAY,  NJ. - October 7, 1999 - The Board of Directors of American
Standard  Companies Inc., (NYSE:  ASD), today announced that it has directed the
Company's  management  to pursue the sale of the Medical  Systems  Group.  After
careful consideration of all the alternatives,  the Board's decision follows the
recommendation of its Strategic Initiative and Management  Development Committee
and its advisors,  Goldman,  Sachs & Co. and Prudential Vector Healthcare Group.
Both  Goldman  Sachs and  Prudential  Vector also have been engaged to assist in
this directive.

         Mr. Emmanuel Kampouris,  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,  stated:
"We  appreciate  the hard work of the  Strategic  Initiative  Committee  and, in
particular,  its Chairman,  David Roderick, in pursuing this action with a focus
on  maximizing  shareholder  value."  Mr.  Roderick,  commented,  "We have great
confidence in the Medical Systems' current diagnostic  products and even more in
its new  technologies  and research  initiatives.  We believe that a sale is the
best alternative to realize its value for our shareholders."

         The Medical Systems Group is engaged in the research,  manufacture, and
distribution of diagnostic  products including fully automated testing and other
diagnostic systems for autoimmunity, infectious disease, blood virus, fertility,
prenatal, osteoporosis,  nutritional analysis and transplantation.  Its DiaSorin
Biomolecular  Research Center is a recognized leader in hepatitis and infectious
disease research through enzyme  immunoassay and advanced DNA probe  technology.
The Center's newly  discovered  SEN-V virus is highly  associated with acute and
chronic  hepatitis,  probably  accounting  for a  majority  of  cases  of  viral
hepatitis of previously unknown origin.

         The Medical Systems Group generates over $100 million in sales annually
through a network of worldwide businesses, direct sales forces and distributors.
It operates manufacturing and research and development facilities in Stillwater,
Minnesota, Saluggia and Brescia, Italy and Jundiai, Brazil.

         American Standard is a $6.7 billion global, diversified manufacturer of
air conditioning, plumbing, automotive products and medical diagnostics systems.
The company  operates 116  manufacturing  facilities in 33 countries and employs
approximately 57,000 people worldwide.