EXHIBIT 24

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------

        Each of the undersigned does hereby appoint CELIA A. COLBERT and KENNETH
C. FRAZIER and each of them, severally, his/her true and lawful attorney or
attorneys to execute on behalf of the undersigned (whether on behalf of the
Company, or as an officer or director thereof, or by attesting the seal of the
Company, or otherwise) the Form 10-K Annual Report of Merck & Co., Inc. for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1999 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
including amendments thereto and all exhibits and other documents in connection
therewith.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this instrument has been duly executed as of the
22nd day of February, 2000.

                                      MERCK & CO., Inc.


                                      By /s/ Raymond V. Gilmartin
                                         ---------------------------------
                                         Raymond V. Gilmartin
                                         (Chairman of the Board, President
                                         and Chief Executive Officer)


  /s/ Raymond V. Gilmartin             Chairman of the Board, President
- ----------------------------------
          Raymond V. Gilmartin         and Chief Executive Officer
                                       (Principal Executive Officer; Director)

  /s/ Judy C. Lewent                   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
- ----------------------------------     Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
          Judy C. Lewent

  /s/ Richard C. Henriques, Jr.         Vice President, Controller
- ----------------------------------
          Richard C. Henriques, Jr.     (Principal Accounting Officer)


                                   DIRECTORS

  /s/ H. Brewster Atwater, Jr.            /s/ William B. Harrison, Jr.
- ----------------------------------      ----------------------------------------
          H. Brewster Atwater, Jr.                William B. Harrison, Jr.

  /s/ Derek Birkin                        /s/ William N. Kelley
- ----------------------------------      ----------------------------------------
          Derek Birkin                            William N. Kelley

  /s/ Lawrence A. Bossidy                 /s/ Edward M. Scolnick
- -----------------------------------     ----------------------------------------
          Lawrence A. Bossidy                     Edward M. Scolnick

  /s/ William G. Bowen                    /s/ Anne M. Tatlock
- -----------------------------------     ----------------------------------------
          William G. Bowen                        Anne M. Tatlock

  /s/ Carolyne K. Davis                   /s/ Samuel O. Thier
- -----------------------------------     ----------------------------------------
          Carolyne K. Davis                       Samuel O. Thier

  /s/ Lloyd C. Elam                       /s/ Dennis Weatherstone
- -----------------------------------     ----------------------------------------
          Lloyd C. Elam                           Dennis Weatherstone

  /s/ Charles E. Exley, Jr.
- -----------------------------------
          Charles E. Exley, Jr.


                                                                      EXHIBIT 24

          I, Debra A. Bollwage, Assistant Secretary of MERCK & CO., Inc., a
Corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of New
Jersey, do hereby certify that the following is a true copy of a resolution
adopted at a meeting of the Directors of said Corporation held in New York City,
New York, on February 22, 2000, duly called in accordance with the provisions of
the By-Laws of said Corporation, and at which a quorum of Directors was present:

     "Special Resolution No. 10 - 2000
      --------------------------------

          RESOLVED, that the proposed form of Form 10-K Annual Report of the
     Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999 presented to this
     meeting is hereby approved with such changes as the proper officers of the
     Company, with the advice of counsel, deem appropriate; and

          RESOLVED, that each officer and director who may be required to
     execute the aforesaid Form 10-K Annual Report or any amendments thereto
     (whether on behalf of the Company or as an officer or director thereof, or
     by attesting the seal of the Company, or otherwise) is hereby authorized to
     execute a power of attorney appointing Celia A. Colbert and Kenneth C.
     Frazier and each of them, severally, his/her true and lawful attorney or
     attorneys to execute in his/her name, place and stead (in any such
     capacity) such Form 10-K Annual Report and any and all amendments thereto
     and any and all exhibits and other documents necessary or incidental in
     connection therewith and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange
     Commission, each of said attorneys to have power to act with or without the
     others, and to have full power and authority to do and perform in the name
     and on behalf of each of said officers and directors, or both, as the case
     may be, every act whatsoever necessary or advisable to be done in the
     premises as fully and to all intents and purposes as any such officer or
     director might or could do in person."

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my signature and
affixed the seal of the Corporation this 10th day of March, 2000.



 [Corporate Seal]                               /s/ Debra A. Bollwage
                                             ---------------------------
                                                  Debra A. Bollwage
                                                  Assistant Secretary