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                                       Exhibit 99.2

       AIRGAS COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF GAS DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS
                           FROM MALLINCKRODT


     RADNOR, Pennsylvania, January 21, 2000 - Airgas, Inc. (NYSE -
ARG) announced today that it closed the acquisition of Mallinckrodt
Inc.'s (NYSE - MKG) Puritan-Bennett medical gas business.  The
agreement to acquire the business was previously announced by Airgas
on January 10, 2000.  So far during its current fiscal year, Airgas
has completed five distributor acquisitions with total annual sales of
approximately $97 million.

"The associates from Puritan-Bennett have a premier reputation in the
healthcare industry," commented Peter McCausland, Airgas' chairman and
chief executive officer.  "This business, along with the people who
have built it, will be a tremendous addition to our core medical gases
business and a complement to the dynamic culture we've built here at
Airgas."

The Puritan-Bennett medical gas business is a leading distributor of
medical gases in North America with annual sales of approximately $70
million.  Gas and cylinder rent represent approximately 90% of sales.
Puritan-Bennett has positioned itself as a niche player in the gas
industry by specializing in the growing healthcare segment.  Its
network of 36 locations and approximately 390 employees in the United
States and Canada provides gas service primarily to hospitals,
companies providing home healthcare services, elderly care facilities
and other suppliers to the healthcare industry.  The acquired business
will more than double the size of Airgas' existing medical gases
business, which currently generates annual sales of approximately $50
million.

Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Mallinckrodt Inc. is a global
manufacturer and marketer of specialty medical products designed to
sustain breathing, diagnose disease and relieve pain.  The company
does business in more than 100 countries; operates Respiratory,
Imaging and Pharmaceuticals product groups, and had fiscal 1999 net
sales of $2.6 billion.  The Mallinckrodt website address is www.
mallinckrodt.com.

Airgas is the largest distributor of industrial, medical and specialty
gases and related equipment and the third largest distributor of
safety supplies in the United States.  Airgas' integrated distributor
network consists of approximately 700 locations including branches,
packaged gas fill plants, distribution centers and inbound and
outbound telemarketing operations.  Airgas can be visited on the
Internet at www.airgas.com.


Contacts:  Mallinckrodt - Barbara Abbett (314) 654-5230 or
                          barbara.abbett@mkg.com
           Airgas - Chris Close (610) 902-6257 or
                    chris.close@airgas.com