Exhibit 5.1

                                            February 13, 1997


Suburban Ostomy Supply Co., Inc.
75 October Hill Road
Holliston, MA  01746

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         In connection with the proposed  registration  under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended,  of 688,820 shares of Common Stock,  no par value per share
of  Suburban  Ostomy  Supply  Co.,  Inc.,  a  Massachusetts   corporation   (the
"Company"),  proposed to be sold by certain Selling Stockholders of the Company,
we have  examined  such  corporate  records and other  documents,  including the
Registration  Statement on Form S-8  relating to such shares (the  "Registration
Statement"),  and have reviewed such matters of law as we have deemed  necessary
as a basis for the opinion as hereinafter expressed.

         Based upon the foregoing and having regard for such legal consideration
as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that:

         1.       The Company is a corporation validly existing under the laws 
                  of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

         2.       The Company is authorized to issue 40,000,000 shares of 
                  common stock with no par value per share.

         3.       The  688,820  shares  of  common  stock  proposed  to be  sold
                  pursuant  to  the   Registration   Statement  have  been  duly
                  authorized   and  are   validly   issued,   fully   paid   and
                  non-assessable.

         We  consent  to  the  filing  of  this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration  Statement  and to the use of our name  under the  captions  in the
prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statement.

                                         Very truly yours,


                                        /s/ Hutchins, Wheeler & Dittmar
                                        Hutchins, Wheeler & Dittmar
                                        A Professional Corporation
JW/JL