SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 October 17, 1997 Mallinckrodt Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) New York 1-483 36-1263901 (State or other jurisdiction (Commission (I.R.S. Employer of incorporation) File Number) Identification No.) 7733 Forsyth Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63105-1820 (Address of principal executive offices) (ZIP Code) Registrant's telephone number, (314) 854-5200 including area code Item 5. Other Events A press release was issued October 17, 1997. The relevant portion of the text of that release was as follows: MALLINCKRODT SELLS ADDITIVE PREBLEND BUSINESS TO CIBA SPECIALTY CHEMICALS ST. LOUIS, Missouri, October 17, 1997 Ciba Specialty Chemicals Inc. (SWX:CIBN) has purchased the additive preblend business of Mallinckrodt Inc. (NYSE:MKG), the companies announced today. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Mallinckrodt is a leader in the production of additive preblends in pellet form for the polymers industry. Additives are ingredients added in small quantities to materials such as polymers. They lead to improved durability, quality and appearance of finished goods. "Mallinckrodt's expertise in customer service and technology complements Ciba's know-how in the area of polymer stabilizers. Combined they will allow a new standard of product breadth, service and responsiveness," said Reinhard Neubeck, president of the Global Additives Division. Daniel E. Woods, Jr., president of Mallinckrodt's Catalysts & Chemical Additives Division, said: "Mallinckrodt has developed a strong expertise in polymer preblends, but Ciba is better established overall in the additives business. We believe our customers and our employees are best served by the sale of this portion of our business to Ciba, and we look forward to their continued success." The Additives division is part of Ciba Specialty Chemicals, a global leader in the discovery, development and manufacture of innovative materials that provide color, performance and care for plastics, coatings, fibers, fabrics and other products. The five divisions " Additives, Consumer Care, Performance Polymers, Pigments and Textile Dyes - all have leading positions in their chosen markets. Ciba Specialty Chemicals had 1996 global sales of more than CHF 6.7 billion. Mallinckrodt Inc. serves healthcare and specialty chemicals markets worldwide. The company has four major businesses - pharmaceuticals, diagnostic imaging, respiratory care and specialty chemicals. The St. Louis, Missouri-based company, with fiscal 1997 net adjusted sales of $1.9 billion, operates in more than 100 countries. The Mallinckrodt web site address is (www.mallinckrodt.com). # # # Mallinckrodt Inc. ROGER A. KELLER Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel DATE: October 17, 1997