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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.4
 
                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
The Board of Directors
Aetna Inc.:
 
   
     We consent to incorporation by reference in Pre-effective Amendment No. 1
to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Aetna Life and Casualty Company
(the "Company") and Aetna Inc. for the registration of up to $2,000,000,000 of
debt securities of Aetna Life and Casualty Company and guarantees thereof of
Aetna Inc. of our report dated April 23, 1996, relating to the consolidated
balance sheet of Aetna Inc. as of April 22, 1996, which report appears in the
Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 28, 1996.
    
 
     We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading "Experts" in
the Prospectus.
 
                                          /s/  KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
 
Hartford, Connecticut
   
July 16, 1996