CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


     We  hereby   consent  to  the   incorporation   by  reference  in  the
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-52125) pertaining to the Ashland
Inc.  Deferred  Compensation  and  Stock  Incentive  Plan for  Non-Employee
Directors,  in  the  Registration  Statement  on  Form  S-8  (No.  2-95022)
pertaining  to the  Ashland  Inc.  Amended  Stock  Incentive  Plan  for Key
Employees,  in  the  Registration  Statement  on  Form  S-8  (No.  33-7501)
pertaining to the Ashland Inc.  Employee  Savings Plan, in the Registration
Statement  on Form  S-8  (No.  33-26101)  pertaining  to the  Ashland  Inc.
Long-Term  Incentive Plan, in the  Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (No.
33-55922)  pertaining to the Ashland Inc. 1993 Stock Incentive Plan, in the
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-49907) pertaining to the Ashland
Inc. Leveraged Employee Stock Ownership Plan, in the Registration Statement
on  Form  S-8  (No.  33-62901)  pertaining  to the  Ashland  Inc.  Deferred
Compensation  Plan,  in  the  Registration   Statement  on  Form  S-8  (No.
333-33617) pertaining to the Ashland Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan, in the
Prospectus constituting part of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No.
33-57011), as amended by Post-Effective  Amendment No. 2, pertaining to the
U.S.  $220,000,000  Ashland Inc. Medium-Term Notes, Series H, of our report
dated March 15, 1998, relating to the financial  statements of Marathon Oil
Company Downstream  Businesses (a division of Marathon Oil Company),  which
appears in the Current  Report on Form 8-K of Ashland Inc.  dated March 17,
1998.





PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP

Pittsburgh, PA
March 17, 1998