Exhibit 10.29

         STOCK AND WARRANT PURCHASE AGREEMENT,  dated as of October 4, 1995 (the
"Agreement"),  among the Gilbert Family Trust (the "Trust"),  the G.S.  Beckwith
Gilbert I.R.A.  Contributory  Account (the "IRA"),  G.S.  Beckwith Gilbert ("Mr.
Gilbert" and,  together with the Trust and the IRA, the  "Purchasers" and each a
"Purchaser") and DIANON Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company").

         WHEREAS  Purchasers wish to purchase from the Company,  and the Company
wishes to sell to Purchasers,  1,000,000  shares (the "Shares") of the Company's
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Common  Stock"),  and 800,000 two-year
warrants  (the  "Warrants")  entitling  Purchasers  to purchase up to a total of
800,000 shares of Common Stock (the "Warrant Shares");

         WHEREAS  Purchaser and the Company are entering into this  Agreement to
provide  for  such  purchase  and  sale  and to  establish  various  rights  and
obligations  in connection  therewith.  Certain terms used herein are defined in
Section 6.

         NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  premises  and  the  mutual
covenants herein set forth, the parties agree as follows:

         1.       Purchase and Sale of Shares.

         1.1   Purchase   and  Sale.   Upon  the  terms  set  forth  herein  and
contemporaneously  with the execution of this Agreement,  the Company is selling
to Purchasers,  and Purchasers are purchasing  from the Company,  the Shares and
the Warrants for an aggregate purchase price of $5,612,000.

         1.2 Manner of Payment.  The total purchase price of $5,612,000  payable
at the Closing (as defined  below) to the Company shall be paid as follows:  (a)
$5,316,000 in cash by bank checks of Purchasers payable to the Company;  and (b)
$296,000 in a two-year, 7% promissory note from Mr. Gilbert (the "Note").

         1.3 Time and Place of Closing.  The sale and purchase of the Shares and
the Warrants (the "Closing") shall take place at the offices of Hughes Hubbard &
Reed,  One Battery  Park Plaza,  New York,  New York,  at 10:00 a.m. on the date
hereof.  The date on which the  Closing  is to occur is  hereinafter  called the
"Closing Date."

         1.4 Transactions to be Effected at Closing. At the Closing:

                  (a) the Company  and  Purchasers  shall  execute and deliver a
         registration   rights   agreement   in  the  form  of  Exhibit  A  (the
         "Registration Rights Agreement");

                  (b)  the  Company   shall  deliver  to  Purchasers  a  warrant
         certificate  (in  the  form of  Exhibit  B),  in  definitive  form  and
         registered in the name of Mr. Gilbert,  representing the Warrants being
         purchased by it pursuant hereto;

                  (c) the Company shall deliver to Purchasers stock certificates
         in definitive form, registered in the name of the applicable Purchaser,
         representing the Shares being purchased by it pursuant hereto;

                  (d)  Purchasers   shall   concurrently   pay  to  the  Company
         $5,316,000  by bank  check  or  checks  of  Purchasers  payable  to the
         Company;

                  (e) the Company  shall  deliver to  Purchasers a duly executed
         amendment  (the "Rights  Amendment"),  in the form of Exhibit C, to the
         Rights Agreement,  dated as of April 29, 1994 (the "Rights Agreement"),
         between the Company and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company;




                  (f) Mr. Gilbert shall deliver to the Company the duly executed
         Note in favor of the  Company in  substantially  the form of Exhibit D;
         and

                  (g)  Purchasers  shall have  received an opinion of counsel to
         the Company substantially in the form of Exhibit E.

         2.   Representations  and  Warranties  of  the  Company.   The  Company
represents and warrants as of the date hereof as follows:

         2.1  Organization  and  Qualification.  Each  of the  Company  and  its
Significant  Subsidiaries  is a corporation  duly organized and existing in good
standing under the laws of the  jurisdiction in which its has  incorporated  and
has the  corporate  power  to own its  respective  property  and to carry on its
respective  business  as now  being  conducted.  Each  of the  Company  and  its
Significant  Subsidiaries  is duly  qualified  as a  foreign  corporation  to do
business and in good standing in every  jurisdiction  in which the nature of the
respective  business  conducted or property owned by it make such  qualification
necessary  and where the  failure  so to qualify  would have a material  adverse
effect  on  the  business  or  financial  possession  of  the  Company  and  its
Subsidiaries  taken as a whole.  The  Company and its  Significant  Subsidiaries
possess all rights, licenses and permits reasonably required for the maintenance
and operation of their respective  material  properties and the conduct of their
respective  material  businesses  as  now  being  maintained  and  operated  and
conducted.

         2.2 Due  Authorization.  The execution and delivery of this  Agreement,
the  Registration  Rights  Agreement,  the Rights Amendment and the issuance and
sale of the  Shares,  the  Warrants  and the  Warrant  Shares by the Company and
compliance by the Company with all the provisions of this Agreement,  the Rights
Amendment,  the Registration  Rights Agreement,  the Warrants and the Shares (a)
are within the corporate powers and authority of the Company, (b) do not require
the approval or consent of any third  party,  (c) do not require the approval or
consent of any  stockholders  of the Company and (d) have been authorized by all
requisite corporate proceedings on the part of the Company. This Agreement,  the
Rights Amendment,  the Warrants and the Registration  Rights Agreement have been
duly  executed  and  delivered by the Company and  constitute  valid and binding
agreements of the Company enforceable in accordance with their respective terms,
except  that (i) such  enforcement  may be  subject to  bankruptcy,  insolvency,
reorganization,  moratorium  and other  similar  laws now or hereafter in effect
relating to creditors'  rights and (ii) the remedy of specific  performance  and
injunctive relief may be subject to equitable  defenses and to the discretion of
the court before which any proceeding  therefor may be brought.  The Company has
furnished  to  Purchasers  true and  correct  copies of the  Company's  Restated
Certificate of Incorporation,  as amended,  and By-laws as in effect on the date
of this  Agreement.  The  Company  has taken all  necessary  action to amend the
Rights  Agreement  (as  defined  in  Section  2.9)  in  order  to  provide  that
Purchasers, upon purchase of the Shares pursuant hereto and upon purchase of the
Warrant  Shares  pursuant to exercise of the  Warrants,  will not  constitute an
"Acquiring  Person"  for  purposes  of  the  Rights  Agreement  hereunder.   The
acquisition  by  Purchasers of the Shares,  the Warrants and the Warrant  Shares
(upon  exercise  of the  Warrants)  has  been  approved  and  authorized  by the
Company's  Board of  Directors,  including  for  purposes  of Section 203 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law.

         2.3 SEC Reports.  The Company has filed all proxy  statements,  reports
and other  documents  required  to be filed by it under the  Exchange  Act after
December  31,  1993  (collectively,  the  "SEC  Reports")  and the  Company  has
furnished  Purchasers  copies of its  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 1994, and all proxy statements and reports under Section
13 of the Exchange Act filed by the Company after such date,  each as filed with
the  Commission.  Each  SEC  Report  was  in  substantial  compliance  with  the
requirements  of its  respective  report  form and did not on the date of filing
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein,  in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.




         2.4 Financial  Statements.  The  financial  statements  (including  any
related  schedules  and/or notes)  included in the SEC Reports are in conformity
with the books and records of the Company, have been prepared in accordance with
generally  accepted  accounting  principles  consistently  followed  (except  as
indicated  in the notes  thereto)  throughout  the periods  involved  and fairly
present the consolidated financial condition,  results of operations and changes
in  financial  position  of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries  as of the dates
thereof and for the  periods  ended on such dates (in each case  subject,  as to
interim  statements,  to changes  resulting from year-end  adjustments  (none of
which are material in amount or effect)).

         2.5  Actions  Pending;  Compliance  with Law.  Except as  disclosed  on
Schedule 2.5, there is no action, suit,  investigation or proceeding pending or,
to  the  knowledge  of  the  Company,  threatened  by  any  public  official  or
governmental  authority against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their  respective  properties  or assets by or before any court,  arbitrator  or
governmental   body,   department,   commission,   board,   bureau,   agency  or
instrumentality,   which   questions  the  validity  of  this   Agreement,   the
Registration  Rights Agreement,  the Rights Amendment,  or the Warrants or which
are reasonably  likely to result in a Material  Adverse Effect,  and neither the
Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries is in default in any material  respect with
respect to any judgment,  order, writ,  injunction,  decree or award.  Except as
disclosed on Schedule 2.5 or as otherwise  previously  disclosed to  Purchasers,
the  businesses  of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  are in  compliance in all
material respects with applicable Federal, state, local and foreign governmental
laws and  regulations,  including,  without  limitation,  laws  and  regulations
relating   to   employment   practices   (such  as   practices   in  respect  of
discrimination,  health and safety), but excluding any such laws and regulations
described in Section 2.13.

         2.6 Governmental  Consents,  etc. The Company is not required to obtain
any consent,  approval or authorization of, or to make any declaration or filing
with,  any  governmental  authority as a condition to or in connection  with the
valid  execution,  delivery  and  performance  of  this  Agreement,  the  Rights
Amendment,  the Warrants and the  Registration  Rights  Agreement  and the valid
offer,  issue,  sale or delivery of the Shares and the  Warrant  Shares,  or the
performance  by the Company of its  obligations in respect  thereof,  except (a)
with  respect  to  the  transactions  contemplated  by the  Registration  Rights
Agreement,  for filings with the Commission and state securities commissions and
(b) with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, the filing of a Form D
with  the  Commission  and  with  the  Department  of  Banking  of the  State of
Connecticut.

         2.7 Taxes. The Company and its Subsidiaries  have filed or caused to be
filed all Federal,  state and local income tax returns  which are required to be
filed and have paid or caused to be paid all taxes as shown on said  returns and
on all assessments received by it to the extent that such taxes have become due,
except taxes the validity or amount of which is being contested in good faith by
appropriate  proceedings  and with respect to which adequate  reserves have been
set aside.  No Federal  income tax returns of the  Company and its  Subsidiaries
have been examined and reported on by the Internal Revenue Service (or closed by
applicable statutes). The Company and its Subsidiaries have paid or caused to be
paid, or have established  reserves that the Company  reasonably  believes to be
adequate in all material  respects,  for all tax  liabilities  applicable to the
Company and its  Subsidiaries  for all fiscal years which have not been examined
and reported on by the taxing authorities (or closed by applicable statues).

         2.8  Conflicting   Agreements  and  Charter  Provisions.   Neither  the
execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Rights Amendment, the Warrants and
the Registration Rights Agreement nor the issuance of the Shares and the Warrant
Shares nor fulfillment of nor compliance with the terms and provisions hereof or
thereof will  conflict  with or result in a breach of the terms,  conditions  or
provisions  of, or give rise to a right of  termination  under,  or constitute a
default  under,  or result in any  violation  of, the  Restated  Certificate  of
Incorporation, as amended, or By-Laws of the Company or any mortgage, agreement,
instrument,  order, judgment,  decree, statute, law, rule or regulation to which
the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries or any of their  respective  property is
subject.  The  acquisition  by  Purchasers  of the Shares,  the Warrants and the
Warrant  Shares are not and will not be subject to the  requirements  of Article
Seventh of the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation.




         2.9  Capitalization.  The  authorized  capital  stock  of  the  Company
consists of (a)  20,000,000  shares of Common  Stock,  of which,  as of the date
hereof,  5,311,450  shares are issued and  outstanding and no shares are held in
its treasury,  and (b) 5,000,000  shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of the Company, no shares of which are issued and outstanding, and all of
such  outstanding  shares  have  been  validly  issued  and are  fully  paid and
nonassessable.  No  class  of  capital  stock  of the  Company  is  entitled  to
preemptive  rights.  As of October 3, 1995,  (i) 676,679  shares of Common Stock
were issuable upon the exercise of outstanding  employee  options (the "Employee
Options")  pursuant to the Company's 1991 Stock Incentive Plan, Outside Director
Stock  Compensation  Plan  (the  "Directors  Plan")  and  certain  other  option
agreements (collectively,  the "Incentive Plans"), (ii) 154,017 shares of Common
Stock,  available  for any future  grants of stock  options  under the Incentive
Plans,  were  contingently  issuable to employees  under the Incentive Plans and
(iii) 100,000 shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$0.01 per share, of the Company ("Series A Stock") were reserved pursuant to the
Rights  Agreement.  Except as set forth above and pursuant to the Warrants,  the
Incentive  Plans and the Rights  Agreement,  there are no  outstanding  options,
warrants,  scrip,  rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character
whatsoever  relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, shares of any
capital stock of the Company,  or  contracts,  commitments,  understandings,  or
arrangements  by which the  Company is or may become  bound to issue  additional
shares of its  capital  stock or  options,  warrants  or rights to  purchase  or
acquire any shares of its capital stock.

         2.10 Status of Shares.  The Shares and the Warrants being issued on the
date hereof have been duly authorized by all necessary  corporate  action on the
part of the Company (no consent or approval of  stockholders  being  required by
law, the Restated  Certificate of Incorporation,  as amended,  or By-Laws of the
Company or otherwise), and such Shares and such Warrants, upon payment therefore
as provided herein,  will be validly issued,  fully paid and nonassessable,  and
the issuance of such Shares and such  Warrants is not and will not be subject to
preemptive  rights of any other  stockholder of the Company.  The Warrant Shares
have been duly authorized by all necessary  corporate  action on the part of the
Company  (no  consent or approval of  stockholders  being  required by law,  the
Restated Certificate of Incorporation,  as amended, or By-Laws of the Company or
otherwise), and such Warrant Shares have been validly reserved for issuance, and
upon  issuance  upon  exercise  of the  Warrants  and upon  payment  therefor as
provided in the Warrants will be validly issued and outstanding,  fully paid and
nonassessable.

         2.11 ERISA.  No accumulated  funding  deficiency (as defined in Section
302 of ERISA and  Section 412 of the Code),  whether or not waived,  exists with
respect to any Plan (as  defined  below)  (other than a  Multiemployer  Plan (as
defined below)).  No liability to the Pension Benefit  Guaranty  Corporation has
been incurred with respect to any Plan (other than a Multiemployer  Plan) by the
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  which is or would be materially  adverse to
the Company and its Subsidiaries  taken as a whole.  Neither the Company nor any
of its  Subsidiaries has maintained a Plan which is subject to Title IV of ERISA
or has contributed to a  Multiemployer  Plan. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the issue and sale of the Shares and the Warrants will not involve
any transaction  which is subject to the prohibitions of Section 406 of ERISA or
in connection with which a tax could be imposed  pursuant to Section 4975 of the
Code.  As used in this  Section  2.12,  the term "Plan"  shall mean an "employee
pension benefit plan" (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) which is or has been
established or maintained,  or to which  contributions are or have been made, by
the Company or by any trade or  business,  whether or not  incorporated,  which,
together  with the  Company,  is under  common  control  or  treated as a single
employer,  as  described  in  Section  414(b) or (c) of the  Code;  and the term
"Multiemployer  Plan"  shall mean any Plan which is a  "multiemployer  plan" (as
such term is defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).

         2.12  Possession  of  Franchises,  Licenses,  etc.  The Company and its
Subsidiaries possess all franchises,  certificates,  licenses, permits and other
authorizations   from   governmental   political   subdivisions   or  regulatory
authorities,  free  from  burdensome  restrictions,  that are  necessary  in any
material  respect  for  the  ownership,   maintenance  and  operation  of  their
respective  properties  and  assets,  and  neither  the  Company  nor any of its
Subsidiaries is in violation of any thereof in any material respect.

         2.13 Environmental Laws.

                  (a) The Company and its  Subsidiaries are in compliance in all
         material respects with all applicable federal, state or local statutes,
         codes,  rules  or  regulations  relating  to the  environment,  natural
         resources  and public or  employee  health  and safety  ("Environmental
         Laws");

    


              (b) No judicial or  administrative  proceedings are pending or
         threatened  against  the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  alleging  the
         violation of any  Environmental Law and no notice from any governmental
         body or other  person has been  served  upon the  Company or any of its
         Subsidiaries claiming any violation of any Environmental Laws; and

                  (c) All substances, materials or wastes which are regulated by
         federal, state or local government,  including, without limitation, any
         substance,  material or waste which is defined as a "hazardous  waste,"
         "hazardous  material,"  "hazardous  substance," "toxic waste" or "toxic
         substance" under any provision of Environmental  Law, used or generated
         by the  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  have been  stored,  used,
         treated and  disposed  of by them or on their  behalf in such manner as
         not to  result  in  Environmental  Costs  and  Liabilities,  which  are
         reasonably  likely  to  exceed  $100,000.   "Environmental   Costs  and
         Liabilities"  means  any  losses,  liabilities,  obligations,  damages,
         fines,  penalties,  judgments,  actions,  claims,  costs  and  expenses
         (including,  without  limitation,  fees,  disbursements and expenses of
         legal  counsel,  experts,  engineers and  consultants  and the costs of
         investigation and feasibility studies,  remedial or removal actions and
         cleanup  activities)  arising  from or under any  Environmental  Law or
         order or  contract  with  any  federal,  state  or  local  governmental
         authority  or other  person  with  respect  to the  enforcement  of any
         Environmental Law.

         2.14  Election of  Director.  Mr.  Gilbert has been duly elected by the
Board of Directors of the Company to serve as a director on that Board effective
upon the issuance of, and payment for, the Shares and the Warrants.

         2.15   Subsidiaries.   The  Company  does  not  have  any   Significant
Subsidiaries.

         2.16 No Undisclosed  Liabilities.  As of June 30, 1995, the Company did
not have any material  indebtedness or liability of any nature (whether known or
unknown and whether accrued, absolute,  contingent or otherwise, and whether due
or to become  due) which is not shown on the  Company's  June 30,  1995  balance
sheet set forth in the SEC Reports (the "Balance Sheet") or the notes thereto or
disclosed herein or in any document  delivered to Purchasers  hereunder upon the
execution and delivery  hereof.  Except as set forth in the Balance  Sheet,  the
Company does not have outstanding any material  indebtedness or liability,  nor,
to the  knowledge  of the  Company,  there is no  condition  or event that could
result in any material indebtedness or liability,  of any kind, whether accrued,
absolute,  contingent or otherwise,  that may arise or be incurred other than in
the ordinary course of business,  whether or not such  indebtedness or liability
would  have been  required  to be  disclosed  in a  balance  sheet  prepared  in
accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles.

         2.17  Default.  The Company is not in default,  or, to the knowledge of
the  Company,  alleged to be in default,  with respect to any  judgment,  order,
writ,  injunction  or decree of any court or any  federal,  state,  municipal or
other governmental authority,  department,  commission, board or agency or other
entity, where such default would have a material adverse effect on the financial
condition, results of operations, business, properties, assets or liabilities of
the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect").
The Company is not in breach or default,  or, to the  knowledge  of the Company,
alleged  to be in  breach  or  default,  under  any  lease,  license,  contract,
agreement or instrument, where such default would have a Material Adverse Effect
and the Company  does not know of any  condition  or event  which is  reasonably
likely to cause or create a default or defaults  under any such lease,  license,
contract,  agreement or  instrument,  where such  default  would have a Material
Adverse  Effect.  The  Company  does not know of any other  party to any  lease,
license,  contract,  agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party and
which is material to the Company's  business that is in default  thereunder and,
to the knowledge of the Company, there exists no condition or event which, after
notice or lapse of time or both,  would  constitute a default of any other party
to any such material lease, license, contract, agreement or instrument.




         2.18 No Material Adverse Changes. Except as set forth in Schedule 2.18,
since June 30,  1995,  there has not been,  occurred or arisen (i) any  material
adverse  change in the financial  condition,  results of  operations,  business,
properties, assets or liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a
whole, (ii) any damage or destruction in the nature of a casualty loss,  whether
covered by insurance or not, adversely  affecting any property of the Company or
its  Subsidiaries  which  damage or  destruction  would have a Material  Adverse
Effect, (iii) any actual or, to the knowledge of the Company,  threatened strike
or other labor  dispute  which strike or dispute  would have a Material  Adverse
Effect,  (iv) any  extraordinary  loss (as  defined  in  Opinion  No.  30 of the
Accounting  Principles  Board of the  American  Institute  of  Certified  Public
Accountants  and any  amendments  or  interpretations  thereof)  suffered by the
Company or any Subsidiary, which, individually or in the aggregate, would have a
Material  Adverse  Effect and (v) any waiver by the Company or any Subsidiary of
any  right or rights  which,  individually  or in the  aggregate,  would  have a
Material Adverse Effect.

         2.19 Registration Rights. There are no outstanding  effective rights to
demand or require  registration  under a  registration  statement  of any of the
Company's securities under the Securities Act.

         2.20 Patents,  etc. The Company owns or has valid and enforceable right
to use all rights under any patent,  trademark,  trade name,  copyright or other
intellectual  property  (or  any  application  or  registration  respecting  any
thereof),  material to the conduct of its business as such business is currently
being conducted,  and, to the knowledge of the Company,  neither the Company nor
any Subsidiary is infringing or alleged to be infringing the rights of any third
party with  respect to any of the  foregoing,  which  infringement  would have a
Material Adverse Effect.

         2.21 Disclosures.  The Company has not knowingly  furnished  Purchasers
with any materially false or misleading  information concerning the Company, its
business or financial condition or knowingly omitted to inform Purchasers of any
facts  necessary to make the  information  that was furnished to Purchasers  not
misleading in a material manner.

         3. Representations and Warranties of Purchaser.  Purchasers jointly and
severally represent and warrant as of the date hereof as follows:

         3.1  Due  Authorization.  Each  Purchaser  has  all  right,  power  and
authority  to enter  into this  Agreement  and to  consummate  the  transactions
contemplated  hereby.  Each Purchaser that is a trustee under a trust agreement,
trust indenture or other  instrument  creating the trust of which such Purchaser
is a trustee (i) is acting in his capacity as trustee,  (ii) has the power under
such trust  agreement,  trust  indenture  or other  instrument  to purchase  his
respective  Shares as trustee and to enter into this  Agreement on behalf of the
trust and (iii) if acting as trustee under a trust agreement, trust indenture or
other  instrument  other than a will,  is the trustee  named in such  agreement,
indenture  or other  instrument,  or has been duly  appointed  as  successor  or
substitute  trustee  pursuant to the provisions of such agreement,  indenture or
other instrument. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by each Purchaser
and the consummation by each Purchaser of the transactions  contemplated  hereby
have been duly  authorized by all necessary  action on behalf of such Purchaser.
This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each Purchaser or, if any
Purchaser is a trustee  acting in his capacity as trustee,  by such Purchaser as
trustee of the trust in which the Shares are to be held, and constitutes a valid
and binding agreement of such Purchaser, or, if Purchaser is a trustee acting in
his capacity as trustee,  constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of
such  trust in which any Shares and any  Warrant  Shares are held,  in each case
enforceable in accordance with its terms,  except that (a) such  enforcement may
be  subject  to  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium  or other
similar laws now or hereafter in effect  relating to  creditors'  rights and (b)
the remedy of specific  performance  and injunctive and other forms of equitable
relief may be subject to equitable  defenses and to the  discretion of the court
before  which any  proceeding  therefor  may be brought.  The Note has been duly
executed  and  delivered  by Mr.  Gilbert  and  constitutes  a valid and binding
agreement of Mr. Gilbert  enforceable in accordance with its terms,  except that
(i) such enforcement may be subject to bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,
moratorium  or other  similar  laws  now or  hereafter  in  effect  relating  to
creditors' rights and (ii) the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and
other forms of equitable relief may be subject to equitable  defenses and to the
discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. Mr.
Gilbert has full power and  authority to execute and deliver  this  Agreement on
behalf of the Trust and the IRA.




         3.2 Conflicting Agreements and Other Matters. Neither the execution and
delivery of this Agreement or the Note nor the  performance by each Purchaser of
their  respective  obligations  hereunder or under the Note will conflict  with,
result in breach of the terms, conditions or provisions of, constitute a default
under, result in the creation of any mortgage,  security interest,  encumbrance,
lien or  charge  of any  kind  upon  any of the  properties  or  assets  of each
Purchaser, or, if any Purchaser is a trustee or trustees acting in his, her, its
or their  capacity or  capacities as trustee or trustees,  the trust  agreement,
trust indenture or other  instrument  creating the trust or trusts of which such
Purchaser  is trustee or  trustees,  or require any  consent,  approval or other
action  by or any  notice  to or  filing  with any  court or  administrative  or
governmental  body,  pursuant to any  agreement,  instrument,  order,  judgment,
decree,  statute,  law,  rule or  regulation  by which each  Purchaser is bound,
except for filings after the Closing of a Schedule 13D pursuant to Section 13(d)
of the Exchange Act.

         3.3  Acquisition  for  Investment;  Source of Funds.  Each Purchaser is
acquiring its Shares and  Warrants,  if any, for its own account for the purpose
of  investment  and  not  with a view  to or for  sale in  connection  with  any
distribution  thereof,  and each  Purchaser has no present  intention or plan to
effect any distribution of the Shares or the Warrant Shares;  provided, that the
disposition of each Purchaser's property shall at all times be and remain within
its control and subject to the provisions of this Agreement,  the Warrants,  the
Note and the Registration Rights Agreement. Each Purchaser represents that it is
(a) an  "accredited  investor"  as that term is defined in  Regulation  D of the
Securities Act and (b) a resident of the State of Connecticut.

         3.4 Ownership of  Securities.  At the date hereof neither any Purchaser
nor any of their respective Affiliates or Associates (collectively, the "Gilbert
Entities")  Beneficially  Owns directly or, to the knowledge of all  Purchasers,
indirectly (or have any option or other right to acquire), any securities of the
Company other than the Shares and the Warrants,  if any, being purchased by each
Purchaser  hereunder  and none of the Gilbert  Entities has any  arrangement  or
understanding  with any Person with  respect to  acquiring,  holding,  voting or
disposing of the Shares or any other Voting Securities.

         3.5 Voting of Shares and  Warrant  Shares.  Mr.  Gilbert has the right,
individually  and without the consent of any other trustee,  to vote and dispose
of any Shares or Warrant  Shares  that will be at any time held by the IRA.  Mr.
Gilbert and his wife together  have the right,  without the need for the consent
of any other  trustee,  to vote and dispose of any Shares or Warrant Shares that
will be at any time held by the Trust.

         3.6 Brokers or Finders. Except for certain fees previously disclosed by
Purchasers to the Company which the Company has agreed to pay, no agent, broker,
investment  banker or other firm or Person,  including any of the foregoing that
is an  Affiliate  of any  Purchaser,  is or will be entitled to any  broker's or
finder's  fee  or any  other  commission  or  similar  fee  from  Purchasers  in
connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

         3.7  Investment  Purpose.  Purchasers  are  acquiring  the Shares,  the
Warrants  and the  Warrant  Shares for  purposes of  investment  and in order to
acquire a significant equity interest in the Company and have no current plan or
intention of seeking to acquire control of the Company, except that Mr. Gilbert,
as a director of the Company,  will participate in and influence the formulation
of the business plans and  strategies of the Company.  The Schedule 13D filed by
Purchasers  pursuant  to Rule  13d-1  under the  Exchange  Act  reporting  their
acquisition  of the  Shares,  the  Warrant  and  the  Warrant  Shares  shall  be
consistent with the representations set forth in this Section 3.7.

         4. Covenants.

         4.1 Financial  Statements and Other Reports. The Company covenants that
it will deliver to Mr. Gilbert so long as the Gilbert Entities  Beneficially Own
Voting Securities representing 5% or more of the Total Voting Power:

                  (a) as soon as  practicable  and in any  event  within 45 days
         after the end of each  quarterly  period (other than the last quarterly



         period) in each fiscal year, a  consolidated  statement of earnings and
         retained earnings and a consolidated  statement of changes in financial
         position of the Company  and its  Subsidiaries  for the period from the
         beginning of the then current  fiscal year to the end of such quarterly
         period,  and a  consolidated  balance  sheet  of the  Company  and  its
         Subsidiaries as of the end of such quarterly  period,  setting forth in
         each case in comparative form figures for the  corresponding  period or
         date  in the  preceding  fiscal  year,  all in  reasonable  detail  and
         certified by an authorized financial officer of the Company, subject to
         changes resulting from year-end  adjustments;  provided,  however, that
         delivery pursuant to clause (c) below of a copy of the Quarterly Report
         on Form 10-Q of the Company for such  quarterly  period  filed with the
         Commission  shall be deemed to satisfy the  requirements of this clause
         (a);

                  (b) as soon as  practicable  and in any  event  within 90 days
         after the end of each fiscal year, a consolidated statement of earnings
         and  retained  earnings  and a  consolidated  statement  of  changes in
         financial  position of the Company and its  Subsidiaries for such year,
         and a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as
         of the end of such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form
         the  corresponding  figures  from the  preceding  fiscal  year,  all in
         reasonable  detail and  examined  and  reported  on by Arthur  Andersen
         L.L.P. or other independent public  accountants of recognized  standing
         selected by the Company;  provided,  however, that delivery pursuant to
         clause  (c)  below of a copy of the  Annual  Report on Form 10-K of the
         Company for such fiscal year filed with the Commission  shall be deemed
         to satisfy the requirements of this clause (b);

                  (c) promptly  upon  transmission  thereof,  copies of all such
         financial statements, proxy statements, notices and reports as it shall
         send to its stockholders and copies of all such registration statements
         (without  exhibits),  other than  registration  statements  relating to
         employee benefit or dividend  reinvestment  plans, and all such regular
         and periodic reports as it shall file with the Commission; and

                  (d) with reasonable  promptness,  such other financial data of
         the Company and its Subsidiaries as Mr. Gilbert may reasonably request.

         4.2 Inspection of Property.  The Company covenants that, so long as the
Gilbert Entities  Beneficially Own Voting Securities  representing 5% or more of
the Total Voting Power, it will permit  representatives  of Mr. Gilbert to visit
and inspect, at Mr. Gilbert's expense,  any of the properties of the Company and
its  Subsidiaries,  to examine the  corporate  books and make copies or extracts
therefrom  and to discuss the affairs,  finances and accounts of the Company and
its  Subsidiaries  with  the  principal  officers  of the  Company,  all at such
reasonable times and as often as Mr. Gilbert may reasonably  request;  provided,
however,  that the  foregoing  shall be subject to  compliance  with  reasonable
safety requirements and shall not require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to permit any inspection  which in the reasonable  judgment of the Company would
result  in the  disclosure  of any trade  secrets  or  violate  any  statute  or
regulation with respect to  confidentiality  or security.  Each Purchaser agrees
not to disclose to any Person any information or data obtained by it pursuant to
this Section 4.2 or Section  4.1(a)  until such  information  or data  otherwise
becomes  publicly  available or except  pursuant to a valid  subpoena,  judicial
process or its  equivalent;  provided,  that each such Purchaser shall have used
its best efforts to give the Company advance notice of such subpoena or judicial
process so that the Company may seek an appropriate protective order.

         4.3 Exchange of Stock and Warrant  Certificates.  The Company covenants
that it shall,  at its expense,  promptly  upon  surrender  of any  certificates
representing shares of Common Stock or the Warrants at the office of the Company
referred to in, or designated  pursuant to, Section 7.5,  execute and deliver to
each Purchaser a new certificate or certificates in  denominations  specified by
such  Purchaser  for an aggregate  number of shares of Common Stock or number of
Warrants,  as the case may be,  equal to the  number of shares of such  stock or
number  of  Warrants,  as the  case  may  be,  represented  by the  certificates
surrendered.




         4.4  Lost,   Stolen,   Destroyed   or   Mutilated   Stock  and  Warrant
Certificates.  Upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the Company of the loss,
theft,  destruction or mutilation of any  certificate for shares of Common Stock
or the Warrants and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, upon delivery of
an indemnity  satisfactory  to the Company or, in the case of  mutilation,  upon
surrender and cancellation thereof, the Company shall issue a new certificate of
like tenor of a number of shares of Common Stock or number of  Warrants,  as the
case may be,  equal to the number of shares of such stock or number of Warrants,
as the case may be,  represented by the certificate lost,  stolen,  destroyed or
mutilated.

            4.5 Board Representation.  The Company shall cause Mr. Gilbert to be
included in the slate of nominees  recommended  by its Board of Directors to the
Company's  stockholders for election as a director at each annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Company and shall seek to cause the election of Mr. Gilbert,
including soliciting proxies in favor of the election of Mr. Gilbert;  provided,
that,  Mr. Gilbert shall not be entitled to be included in the slate of nominees
subsequently  recommended  by the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Company  to the
Company's  stockholders  for  election as directors to the Board of Directors of
the  Company  if  the  Gilbert  Entities   Beneficially  Own  Voting  Securities
representing less than 5% of the Total Voting Power (determined as of the record
date for each annual meeting of stockholders of the Company). For so long as Mr.
Gilbert has rights  under this Section  4.5,  the  Company's  Board of Directors
shall elect and nominate for election to such Board,  as soon as possible and in
any event prior to the next annual  meeting of the Company's  stockholders,  one
person (in  addition to the  Incumbent  Directors  as of the date hereof and Mr.
Gilbert and their successors) reasonably acceptable to all directors.

            4.6  Limitation  on  Transactions   with  Affiliates.   The  Company
covenants  that,  so long as Voting  Securities  representing  5% or more of the
Total Voting Power are Beneficially  Owned by the Gilbert  Entities,  unless Mr.
Gilbert otherwise consents in writing, the Company will not, and will not permit
any of its  Subsidiaries  to,  conduct any  material  business or enter into any
material  transaction  with any Affiliate of the Company (other than Mr. Gilbert
or any of its  Affiliates or any Subsidiary of the Company all the capital stock
of which except for  directors  qualifying  and similar  shares are owned by the
Company)  unless the terms thereof are no less  favorable to the Company or such
Subsidiary than it could obtain in a comparable arm's-length  transaction with a
Person not an affiliate of the Company.

            4.7 Availability of Shares.  The Company  covenants that, so long as
the Company has any  obligations  under the  Warrants to issue  shares of Common
Stock, the Company, in order to satisfy its obligations under the Warrants, will
keep available for issuance a number of shares of authorized but unissued Common
Stock which may be purchased thereunder.

            4.8 Stockholder Meeting. At the first annual meeting of stockholders
after the date  hereof,  the Company  shall  submit a proposal to the  Company's
stockholders  (together with a recommendation  to the Company's  stockholders by
the Company and its Board to approve such  proposal)  to enable the  Purchasers'
Voting Limit (as defined in Section 5.1(ii)) to be increased to 20% of the Total
Voting  Power (which  increase  reflects  the  agreement of the parties  without
giving  effect to any  requirements  of the National  Association  of Securities
Dealers) and the Company and Board of Directors  shall use their best efforts to
obtain such approval.  If the Company's  stockholders approve such proposal by a
majority of the total votes cast on the  proposal,  the Company shall then enter
into an appropriate  amendment of this Agreement with Purchasers to increase the
Purchasers'  Voting Limit to 20% of the Total  Voting  Power.  If the  Company's
stockholders  do not approve such  proposal,  Mr.  Gilbert  shall have the right
within 30 days (or, if such transaction  would result in liability under Section
16(b) of the Exchange Act, such longer period, up to six months from the date of
purchase of the  Warrants,  as may be necessary to avoid such  liability)  after
such  stockholders'  meeting  to  rescind  some  or  all of  the  Warrants  then
outstanding and upon such rescission the Company shall pay Mr. Gilbert an amount
equal to $1.52 per  Warrant  in cash and  cancel a pro rata  portion of the then
outstanding principal amount of the Note.




            5.    Standstill Provisions.

            5.1 Acquisition of Voting Securities.  Until the earliest of (a) the
seventh  anniversary of the date hereof,  (b) such date as the Gilbert  Entities
cease to Beneficially Own Voting Securities representing 5% or more of the Total
Voting  Power,  and (c) the  occurrence  of a Change in Control or a Rights Plan
Event  (the  earliest  of  such  dates  being  referred  to as  the  "Standstill
Termination Date") and subject to the further provisions hereof,  each Purchaser
covenants and agrees that:

                  (i) The Gilbert  Entities  will not,  directly or  indirectly,
         without the prior written consent of the Company,  Beneficially Own any
         Voting Securities except for (A) the Shares, (B) shares of Common Stock
         issuable  upon  exercise of the  Warrants,  (C) shares of Common  Stock
         issuable  upon  exercise of options  granted to Mr.  Gilbert  under the
         Directors Plan or any other shares of Common Stock or rights to acquire
         Common Stock made  available to  non-employee  directors of the Company
         pursuant to Company plans and (D) additional  Voting  Securities of the
         Company  so long as the  Voting  Power  of all such  additional  Voting
         Securities  Beneficially  Owned by the Gilbert Entities,  together with
         the Voting Power of the shares  referred to in clauses (A), (B) and (C)
         then  Beneficially  Owned by the Gilbert Entities  (calculated  without
         giving effect to paragraph (ii) of this Section 5.1), does not equal or
         exceed 25% of the Total Voting Power;

                  (ii)  Subject  to  Section  4.8,  if at any time  the  Gilbert
         Entities  Beneficially  Own Voting  Securities  representing  more than
         1,056,978 votes ("Purchasers' Voting Limit"), then the Gilbert Entities
         shall  take such  action  as shall be  required  so that all  shares of
         Voting   Securities   Beneficially   Owned  by  the  Gilbert   Entities
         representing  votes in  excess  of such  number  are  voted in the same
         proportion as the votes cast by other  holders of Voting  Securities on
         all  matters  to be  voted  on by  the  holders  of  Voting  Securities
         (including,  without  limitation,  matters relating to mergers or other
         business  combinations).  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  the Gilbert
         Entities  shall be free to vote all of their Voting  Securities in such
         manner as they determine in their sole  discretion  with respect to any
         Low Return Transaction (as defined in Section 5.4(b)); and

                  (iii) The Gilbert Entities (A) shall be present,  in person or
         by proxy,  at all  stockholders'  meetings  of the  Company so that all
         outstanding  Voting  Securities   Beneficially  Owned  by  the  Gilbert
         Entities shall be counted for the purpose of  determining  the presence
         of a quorum at such meetings and (B) subject to Section 5.1(ii), in any
         election of directors of the Company, shall vote all outstanding Voting
         Securities  Beneficially Owned by the Gilbert Entities for the election
         of the Company's nominees as directors of the Company;  provided,  that
         the Company has complied with its obligations set forth in Section 4.5.

         5.2 Restrictions on Transfer. Prior to the Standstill Termination Date,
the Gilbert Entities shall not, directly or indirectly,  sell, transfer, pledge,
encumber  or  otherwise  dispose  of   (collectively,   "Transfer")  any  Voting
Securities  or the  Warrants or any  incidents  of  Beneficial  Ownership of any
Voting  Securities  or  Warrants  except  for (i)  Transfers  after  the  second
anniversary  of the date  hereof of shares of Common  Stock  pursuant to (x) the
exercise  of the  registration  rights  set  forth  in the  Registration  Rights
Agreement or (y) a transaction  that  complies with the volume,  time period and
manner of sale provisions contained in Rules 144(e) and (f) under the Securities
Act as in effect at the time of such  transaction;  provided,  that, except with
respect to underwritten offerings pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement,
the Gilbert  Entities shall use their best efforts (which shall include advising
any broker of the  provisions  of this  Section 5.2 but shall not require  undue
investigation  on the part of the Gilbert  Entities)  so that no such  Transfers
under this clause (i) are made knowingly to any Person (including its Affiliates
and any Person or entities which are, to Purchasers'  knowledge after inquiry of
the Company,  part of any 13D Group which includes such transferee or any of its
Affiliates) that, after giving effect to such Transfer,  would  Beneficially Own
Voting Securities  representing greater than 10% of the Total Voting Power, (ii)



Transfers of shares of Common Stock pursuant to any bona fide tender or exchange
offer to acquire shares of Common Stock;  provided,  that,  during the first two
years after the date hereof, such offer has been approved and recommended by the
Company's  Board  of  Directors  or  (iii)  Transfers  to an  Affiliate  of  any
Purchaser;  provided,  that such Affiliate becomes a signatory to, and agrees to
be bound by, this Agreement.

         5.3 Other Matters.  Each Purchaser  covenants and agrees that until the
Standstill   Termination   Date,  except  solely  by  virtue  of  Mr.  Gilbert's
representation  on the Board of  Directors of the Company as provided in Section
4.5 hereof:

                  (a) Neither any Purchaser nor any other Gilbert Entity thereof
         shall  deposit any Voting  Securities  in a voting trust or subject any
         Voting  Securities to any  arrangement or agreement with respect to the
         voting of such Voting  Securities  or other  agreement  having  similar
         effect  (other than a voting  trust,  arrangement  or agreement  solely
         among the Purchasers and their Affiliates).

                  (b) Neither any Purchaser  nor any other Gilbert  Entity shall
         solicit proxies or become a "participant" in a "solicitation"  (as such
         terms  are  defined  in  Regulation  14A  under  the  Exchange  Act) in
         opposition  to the  recommendation  of the majority of the directors of
         the Company with respect to any matter other than any charter or by-law
         amendment  to be voted upon by the  Company's  stockholders  that would
         adversely  affect the rights of any such Purchaser,  Mr. Gilbert or any
         other  Gilbert  Entity under this  Agreement  or  adversely  affect the
         rights of any such  Purchaser,  Mr. Gilbert or any other Gilbert Entity
         as a holder of Voting Securities in a discriminatory manner.

                  (c) Neither any Purchaser nor any other Gilbert Entity thereof
         shall form,  join or otherwise  participate in a 13D Group or otherwise
         act in concert  with any other  Person who is not a Gilbert  Entity for
         the  purpose  of  acquiring,  holding,  voting or  disposing  of Voting
         Securities.

                  (d) Other than  pursuant to a direct  request by the  Company,
         neither any Purchaser nor any other Gilbert  Entity thereof shall offer
         or propose (i) to enter into,  directly  or  indirectly,  any merger or
         other  business  combination  involving the Company,  (ii) to purchase,
         directly or indirectly, a material portion of the assets of the Company
         or (iii) to acquire any Voting  Securities if such acquisition would be
         inconsistent with Section 5.1 hereof.

                  (e) Neither any Purchaser nor any other Gilbert Entity thereof
         shall (i) disclose any intention, plan or arrangement inconsistent with
         the foregoing or (ii) advise,  assist (including by knowingly providing
         or arranging  financing  for that  purpose) or knowingly  encourage any
         other Person in connection with any of the foregoing.

         5.4  Notice  of  Certain  Third  Party  Transactions.   (a)  Until  the
Standstill  Termination  Date, the Company shall give Purchasers  written notice
within  two  business  days  following  receipt  by  the  Company  of any of the
following:  (i) any written or oral  notice from any Person or group  couched in
such terms as to put the Company  reasonably  on notice of the  likelihood  that
such  Person or groups has  acquired  or is  proposing  to acquire any shares of
Voting  Securities  which results in, or, if  successful,  would result in, such
persons  or group  owning or having  the right to  acquire  more than 15% of the
Total Voting  Power;  (ii) any notice under the HSR Act relating to the Company;
or (iii) any  statement  on  Schedule  13D or Schedule  14D-1 (or any  successor
schedule  or form to such  schedules)  under the  Exchange  Act  relating to any
Voting  Securities  of the Company.  In its written  notice to  Purchasers,  the
Company shall disclose the material terms of such  transaction,  except that the
Company need not disclose the name of the inquirer, purchaser or offeror, as the
case may be. The Company may not enter into any definitive agreement relating to
any such transaction until ten (10) business days have elapsed after Purchasers'
receipt of the  Company's  notice under this Section  5.4(a).  The Company shall
have no obligation to update the information contained in any such notice.




         (b) If the  Company  desires to enter into a merger,  consolidation  or
other  business  combination  transaction  in which the Company would not be the
surviving  corporation or in which the Company's  outstanding  Voting Securities
were to be changed or exchanged for cash, stock or assets of another Person,  or
50% or more of the Company's  capital stock  outstanding  immediately after such
merger,  consolidation or other business  combination  transaction  would not be
owned by the  stockholders  of the  Company  immediately  prior to such  merger,
consolidation or other business combination  transaction or all or substantially
all of the Company's  assets or earning  power would be sold,  the Company shall
give  Purchasers  written  notice  of such  proposed  transaction  (a  "Proposed
Transaction")  and the Company shall not enter into an agreement with respect to
such Proposed Transaction and shall negotiate in good faith with Purchasers (but
shall not be precluded  from  pursuing any such Proposed  Transaction),  in each
case for a period of fifteen  (15)  business  days after the date of such notice
with  a view  towards  reaching  a  mutually  beneficial  transaction  with  the
Purchasers.  The  Company  shall have no  obligation  to update the  information
contained in such notice unless the previously noticed terms are made materially
less  favorable to the Company,  in which case the  preceding  and this sentence
shall apply to such revised transaction. During such 15 business day period, the
Company and the Purchasers shall keep confidential  (subject to the requirements
of applicable  securities  laws) the fact that such  negotiations  are occurring
(including the terms discussed) and shall make no direct or indirect  disclosure
thereof to any other Person (other than their  respective  advisers).  If, after
such 15 business day period,  the Company  enters into an agreement with respect
to such Proposed Transaction and, under the terms of such Proposed  Transaction,
Purchasers  would receive  proceeds in an amount that is less than the amount of
their cash investment in the Shares,  the Warrants and the Warrant Shares plus a
return on such  investment at the compounded rate of 10% per annum from the date
of investment (which amount, in the case of a transaction involving the purchase
of or an exchange for less than all of such Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares,
shall be computed solely on the basis of the proportion of such Shares, Warrants
and Warrant  Shares  that would be sold in such  Proposed  Transaction)  (a "Low
Return Transaction"), then, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5.1 or 5.3
hereof,  Purchasers  shall  have the  right to make and  consummate  one or more
offers to the Company to acquire the Company in a merger  transaction  or to the
stockholders  to acquire all of their  shares of Common  Stock at a higher price
than the  price  being  offered  in such  Approved  Transaction  (with  non-cash
consideration valued at fair market value).

         5.5  Restrictions  on Amendments to the Rights Plan and Adoption of New
Rights Plan.  Until the Standstill  Termination  Date, the Board of Directors of
the Company shall not (a) amend the  definition of "Acquiring  Person" set forth
in the Rights  Plan (as  amended by the Rights  Amendment)  so as to deprive the
Gilbert Entities of the benefits afforded by the Rights Amendment, (b) adopt any
new rights  plan  pursuant  to which  holders  of rights  would be  entitled  to
purchase  securities upon the occurrence of certain  "triggering events" at less
than fair market value thereof  which adopts a definition of "Acquiring  Person"
(or any functionally equivalent designation) which deprives the Gilbert Entities
of the benefits afforded by the Rights Amendment or (c) cause any Gilbert Entity
to become, for the purposes of any application of the Rights Plan, an "Acquiring
Person" (or any functionally  equivalent designation) solely by reason of its or
his  purchase of any Voting  Securities  in  compliance  with  Section 5 of this
Agreement. If an event described in Section 6.10(a) occurs, the Company shall at
the same time amend the  definition of "Acquiring  Person" (or any  functionally
equivalent  designation)  to permit  the  Gilbert  Entities  to  acquire  Voting
Securities representing such greater Total Voting Power.

         5.6 Maintenance of Purchaser's Interest. From and after the date hereof
until the Standstill Termination Date, upon the issuance or sale for cash by the
Company of any Voting  Securities  (other than Voting Securities issued pursuant
to options or rights to acquire  Voting  Securities  granted or to be granted to
officers, employees,  consultants or directors pursuant to any stock plan, stock
bonus, stock appreciation  rights, stock purchase or other benefit plan relating
to such classes or persons,  hereafter  adopted by those members of the Board of
Directors who (i) in the case of officer and employee  awards,  are not officers
or  employees of the Company and (ii) in the case of all other  awards,  are not
entitled to  participate  in any plan then the  subject of  approval  other than
automatic  non-discretionary  plans), the Company shall offer to Purchasers,  by



written notice to Purchasers given  concurrently with such issuance or sale, the
opportunity  to acquire such number of Voting  Securities  on the same terms and
conditions  as such  issuance  or sale as  shall  allow  the  Gilbert  Entities,
immediately following the issuance or sale of all such Voting Securities,  to be
the Beneficial Owner, in the aggregate,  of Voting  Securities  representing the
same Total Voting Power as that  represented by the Voting  Securities  owned by
the Gilbert  Entities  immediately  prior to the issuance or sale referred to in
this Section 5.6 (without giving effect to Section 5.1(ii)).

         5.7 Top Up Right.  From and after the date hereof until the  Standstill
Termination  Date, the Company  covenants that, so long as the Gilbert  Entities
Beneficially Own Voting Securities  representing 15% or more of the Total Voting
Power,  if the  Company  proposes  to  issue  Voting  Securities  or  securities
convertible  or  exchangeable  into Voting  Securities to any Person or group of
related  Persons (a "Buyer") and,  immediately  after such issuance,  such Buyer
would  Beneficially Own (a) capital stock  representing a greater  percentage of
the total capital stock outstanding (determined on an as-converted basis) or (b)
(after giving effect to Section 5.1(ii) with respect to the Gilbert Entities and
any  similar   restriction  with  respect  to  such  Buyer)  Voting   Securities
representing a greater  percentage of Total Voting Power, than the percentage of
total Common Stock outstanding or Total Voting Power, respectively, Beneficially
Owned by the Gilbert Entities at such time, then, notwithstanding the provisions
of Section 5.1(i),  the Company shall offer to Purchasers new Voting  Securities
(on the same terms and  conditions  as such  issuance to Buyer) and/or amend the
restrictions  set forth in Section 5.1(ii) so that,  after giving effect to such
issuances and/or  amendment,  Buyer and the Gilbert Entities would  Beneficially
Own (i) the same  number of shares of Common  Stock and (ii)  Voting  Securities
representing the same percentage of Total Voting Power (giving effect to Section
5.1(ii) as so amended  with  respect to the  Gilbert  Entities  and any  similar
restriction with respect to Buyer).

         5.8 Standstill  Termination  Events.  Notwithstanding the provisions of
Sections 5.1 and 5.3, if, in response to any tender or exchange offer to acquire
Voting Securities made pursuant to a Schedule 14D-1 filed with the Commission (a
"Tender Offer"), the Company (i) recommends acceptance of, or responds neutrally
to, such Tender Offer (as evidenced by the Company's  filing with the Commission
of a  Schedule  14D-9) or (ii)  redeems  the  Rights  issued  under  the  Rights
Agreement,  the  Gilbert  Entities  may make an offer to  purchase  for cash and
purchase  all  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock at a higher  price  than the
consideration being offered in the Tender Offer.

         6.  Definitions.  For purposes of this  Agreement,  the following terms
shall have the following meanings:

         6.1 "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective  meanings set
forth for such terms in Rule 12b-2 under the  Exchange  Act, as in effect on the
date of this Agreement.

         6.2 (a) The Gilbert Entities shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
shall be deemed to  "Beneficially  Own" and shall be deemed to have  "Beneficial
Ownership" of:

                  (i) any  securities  which any  Purchaser or any other Gilbert
         Entity is deemed to  "beneficially  own"  within  the  meaning of Rules
         13d-3 and 13d-5  under the  Exchange  Act,  as in effect on the date of
         this Agreement; and

                  (ii) any securities (the  "underlying  securities")  which any
         Purchaser or any other Gilbert Entity has the right to acquire (whether
         such right is  exercisable  immediately  or only  after the  passage of
         time) pursuant to any agreement,  arrangement or understanding (written
         or oral), or upon the exercise of conversion  rights,  exchange rights,
         rights,  warrants or options,  or otherwise (it being  understood  that
         such Purchaser  shall also be deemed to be the Beneficial  Owner of the
         securities   convertible   into  or  exchangeable  for  the  underlying
         securities).




         (b) Any  Person  other  than any  Gilbert  Entity  shall be deemed  the
"Beneficial Owner" of, shall be deemed to "Beneficially Own" and shall be deemed
to have  "Beneficial  Ownership" of any  securities  which such Person or any of
such Person's  Affiliates or Associates is deemed to  "beneficially  own" within
the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the
date of this Agreement.

         6.3 "Change in Control" shall mean:

                  (a) the  acquisition,  other  than  from the  Company,  by any
         Person or group (within the meaning of Section  13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of
         the Exchange Act) of  Beneficial  Ownership of 50% or more of the Total
         Voting Power, but excluding,  for this purpose, any such acquisition by
         (i) the Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  (ii) any employee benefit
         plan (or related trust) of the Company or its subsidiaries or (iii) any
         corporation  with respect to which,  following such  acquisition,  more
         than  50%  of  the  combined  voting  power  of  the  then  outstanding
         securities  of  such  corporation  entitled  to vote  generally  in the
         election  of  directors  is  then  Beneficially   Owned,   directly  or
         indirectly,  by  Persons  who  were the  Beneficial  Owners  of  Voting
         Securities  of the Company  immediately  prior to such  acquisition  in
         substantially the same proportion as their ownership, immediately prior
         to such acquisition, of the Total Voting Power of the Company; or

                  (b)  individuals  who, as of October 1, 1995,  constitute  the
         Board of Directors of the Company (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any
         reason to constitute at least a majority of such Board; provided,  that
         any individual  becoming a director subsequent to October 1, 1995 whose
         election,  or nomination for election,  by the Company's  stockholders,
         was  approved  by a vote of at least a majority of the  directors  then
         comprising  the  Incumbent  Board  shall be  considered  as though such
         individual  were a member of the Incumbent  Board,  but excluding,  for
         this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office is
         in connection with an actual or threatened election contest relating to
         the election of the directors of the Company (as such terms are used in
         Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act); or

                  (c)  approval  by  the   stockholders  of  the  Company  of  a
         reorganization,  merger or consolidation, in each case, with respect to
         which all or  substantially  all the  individuals and entities who were
         the respective  Beneficial Owners of the Voting Securities  immediately
         prior to such reorganization, merger or consolidation do not, following
         such  reorganization,   merger  or  consolidation,   Beneficially  Own,
         directly or indirectly,  more than 50% of the combined  voting power of
         the then outstanding  voting  securities  entitled to vote generally in
         the  election  of  directors  of the  corporation  resulting  from such
         reorganization, merger or consolidation; or

                  (d) the sale or other  disposition of all or substantially all
         the  assets of the  Company  in one  transaction  or series of  related
         transactions.


         6.4 "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

         6.5 "Commission" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

         6.6 "ERISA" shall mean the Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of
1974, as amended.

         6.7 "Exchange Act" shall mean the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

         6.8 "HSR Act" shall mean the Hart-Scott-Rodino  Antitrust  Improvements
Act of 1976, as amended.

         6.9 "Person"  shall mean any  individual,  partnership,  joint venture,
joint   stock   company,   association,   corporation,   trust,   unincorporated



organization,  government  or  department  or agency of a  government,  or other
entity.

         6.10 A "Rights Plan Event"  shall mean (a) any  amendment of the Rights
Agreement  to change the  definition  of, or the  implementation  of a successor
rights plan which uses a definition of, "Acquiring  Person" (or any functionally
equivalent  designation)  to permit another Person to acquire Voting  Securities
representing  a  greater  percentage  of Total  Voting  Power  than the  maximum
percentage  of Total  Voting Power that the Gilbert  Entities  are  permitted to
Beneficially  Own  pursuant to Section  5.1(i)  hereof as then in effect (or, if
modified,  as  otherwise  in effect  under  this  Agreement)  or (b)  during the
pendency of a Tender  Offer (as defined in Section  5.8),  a court of  competent
jurisdiction   declares  the  Rights   Agreement  to  be  invalid  or  otherwise
inapplicable to the Tender Offer.

         6.11  "Securities  Act"  shall  mean the  Securities  Act of  1933,  as
amended.

         6.12  "Significant  Subsidiary"  shall mean a Subsidiary of the Company
constituting a "significant subsidiary" as defined in Rule 1-02(v) of Regulation
S-X promulgated by the Commission.

         6.13  "Subsidiary"  shall mean, as to any Person,  any  corporation  at
least a majority of the shares of stock of which  having  general  voting  power
under  ordinary  circumstances  to elect a majority of the Board of Directors of
such corporation  (irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of any other
class or  classes  shall  have or might  have  voting  power  by  reason  of the
happening of any contingency)  is, at the time as of which the  determination is
being made,  owned by such Person or one or more of its  Subsidiaries or by such
Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries.

         6.14  "13D  Group"  shall  mean any  group of  Persons  deemed  to be a
"person" within the meaning of Section  13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act which would
be  required  under  Section  13(d)  of the  Exchange  Act  and  the  rules  and
regulations thereunder (as in effect, and based on legal interpretations thereof
existing,  on the date  hereof) to file a  statement  on  Schedule  13D with the
Commission if such group Beneficially Owned Voting Securities  representing more
than 5% of any class of Voting Securities then outstanding.

         6.15  "Total  Voting  Power" at any time shall mean the total  combined
voting power in the general  election of directors of all the Voting  Securities
then  outstanding.  For purposes of  determining  the percentage of Total Voting
Power of Voting Securities Beneficially Owned:

                  (i) by the Gilbert  Entities,  any securities not  outstanding
         which are  subject  to  conversion  rights,  exchange  rights,  rights,
         warrants, options or similar securities held any Person shall be deemed
         to be  outstanding,  but shall not be deemed to be outstanding  for the
         purpose of computing the percentage of Voting  Securities  beneficially
         owned by any other  Person,  except that this  paragraph  (i) shall not
         apply to any determination made pursuant to Section 5.1(ii).

                  (ii) by any  Person  other  than  the  Gilbert  Entities,  any
         securities  not  outstanding  which are subject to  conversion  rights,
         exchange rights, rights, warrants,  options or similar rights which are
         convertible,  exchangeable  or  exercisable  within sixty days shall be
         deemed to be outstanding, but shall not be deemed to be outstanding for
         the  purpose  of  computing  the   percentage   of  Voting   Securities
         Beneficially Owned by any other Person.

         6.16 "Voting  Power" at any time shall mean the aggregate  voting power
in a general election of directors of Voting Securities.

         6.17 "Voting  Securities" shall mean at any time shares of any class of
capital stock of the Company  which are then  entitled to vote  generally in the
election of directors, including Common Stock.

         7. Miscellaneous

         7.1 Severability.  If any term,  provision,  covenant or restriction of
this Agreement is held by a court of competent  jurisdiction to be invalid, void
or  unenforceable,  the  remainder  of  the  terms,  provisions,  covenants  and
restrictions  of this Agreement  shall remain in full force and effect and shall
in no way be affected,  impaired or  invalidated.  It is hereby  stipulated  and
declared to be the  intention of the parties  that they would have  executed the
remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of
such which may be hereafter declared invalid, void or unenforceable.




         7.2 Specific  Enforcement.  Each  Purchaser,  on the one hand,  and the
Company, on the other, acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur
in the event that any of the  provisions of this Agreement were not performed in
accordance  with  their  specific  terms  or  were  otherwise  breached.  It  is
accordingly  agreed that the  parties  shall be  entitled  to an  injunction  or
injunctions  to prevent  breaches of the  provisions  of this  Agreement  and to
enforce  specifically the terms and provisions hereof in any court of the United
States or any state thereof having  jurisdiction,  this being in addition to any
other remedy to which they may be entitled at law or equity.

         7.3 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including the documents set forth
in the Exhibits  hereto)  contains the entire  understanding of the parties with
respect to the transactions contemplated hereby.

         7.4  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed  in  one or  more
counterparts,  all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement,  and
shall become effective when one or more of the counterparts  have been signed by
each party and  delivered to the other  parties,  it being  understood  that all
parties need not sign the same counterpart.

         7.5 Notices. All notices, consents, requests,  instructions,  approvals
and other  communications  provided  for herein and all legal  process in regard
hereto  shall be validly  given,  made or served,  if in writing  and  delivered
personally,  by telecopy  (except for legal process) or sent by registered mail,
postage prepaid, if to:


                  The Company:

                  DIANON Systems, Inc.
                  200 Watson Boulevard
                  Stratford, Connecticut  06497
                  Attention:  Chairman, President and 
                                Chief Executive Officer
                  Telecopy No.:  (203) 381-4079

                  With a copy to:

                  Hughes Hubbard & Reed
                  One Battery Park Plaza
                  New York, New York  10004
                  Attention:  Ed Kaufmann
                  Telecopy No.: (212) 422-4726

                  Each Purchaser:

                  c/o Field Point Capital Management Company
                  104 Field Point Road
                  Greenwich, Connecticut  06830
                  Attention:  G.S. Beckwith Gilbert
                  Telecopy No.:  (203) 629-8757

                  With a copy to:

                  Weil, Gotshal & Manges
                  767 Fifth Avenue
                  New York, New York
                  Attention:  Dennis J. Block
                  Telecopy No.:  (212) 310-8007

or to such other  address or telex  number as any party may,  from time to time,
designate in a written notice given in a like manner. With respect to any notice
required hereunder to the Trust, the IRA or any other Gilbert Entity,  notice to
Mr. Gilbert shall be deemed to be effective notice to such Person.



         7.6  Amendments.  This  Agreement may be amended as to  Purchasers  and
their  respective  successors,  and the  Company  may  take  any  action  herein
prohibited  or omit to perform any act  required to be  performed  by it, if the
Company shall obtain the written consent of Purchasers  and/or such  successors.
This Agreement may not be waived,  changed,  modified or discharged  orally, but
only by an  agreement  in writing  signed by the party or parties  against  whom
enforcement  of any waiver,  change,  modification  or discharge is sought or by
parties  with the right to  consent  to such  waiver,  change,  modification  or
discharge on behalf of such party.

         7.7 Cooperation.  Purchasers and the Company agree to take, or cause to
be taken,  all such further or other actions as shall reasonably be necessary to
make effective and consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

         7.8  Successors  and Assigns.  All covenants and  agreements  contained
herein  shall  bind and inure to the  benefit  of the  parties  hereto and their
respective successors.

         7.9  Indemnity.  (a) The Company  agrees to indemnify and save harmless
each Purchaser and each Purchaser's  officers,  directors and employees from and
against any and all costs, expenses, damages or other liabilities resulting from
any   misrepresentation   or  breach  of  a   representation   or   warranty  or
nonfulfillment of any covenant or agreement on the part of the Company under the
terms of this  Agreement  or any  legal,  administrative  or  other  proceedings
arising  out of the  execution  of this  Agreement  or the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby other than such costs,  expenses,  damages or
other  liabilities  resulting  from the  violation by any Purchaser of any legal
investment  laws  or  other  laws   restricting  or  governing  any  Purchaser's
investments generally,  from the violation or alleged violation by any Purchaser
of any duty such  Purchaser  may owe to any  Person  with a direct  or  indirect
interest in the Shares or the Warrant Shares.

         (b) Each indemnified party under this Section 7.9 will,  promptly after
the receipt of notice of the commencement of any action against such indemnified
party in respect of which indemnity may be sought from the Company on account of
any  indemnity  agreement  contained in this Section 7.9,  notify the Company in
writing of the commencement thereof. The omission of any indemnified party so to
notify the  Company of any such action  shall not  relieve the Company  from any
liability  which it may have to such  indemnified  party other than  pursuant to
this  Section  7.9 or,  unless the  Company  shall have been  prejudiced  by the
omission of such  indemnified  party so to notify the Company,  pursuant to this
Section  7.9. In case any such action shall be brought  against any  indemnified
party and it shall notify the Company of the commencement  thereof,  the Company
shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, to
assume  the  defense  thereof,  with  counsel  reasonably  satisfactory  to such
indemnified  party, and after notice from the Company to such indemnified  party
of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the Company will not be liable
to such indemnified  party under this Section 7.9 for any legal or other expense
subsequently  incurred by such indemnified  party in connection with the defense
thereof;  provided,  however,  that (i) if the Company shall elect not to assume
the defense of such claim or action or (ii) if the indemnified  party reasonably
determines (A) that there may be a conflict between the positions of the Company
and of the indemnified party in defending such claim or action or (B) that there
may be legal defenses  available to such indemnified  party different from or in
addition  to those  available  to the  Company,  then  separate  counsel for the
indemnified  party shall be entitled to  participate in and conduct the defense,
in the case of clauses (i) and (ii)(A), or such different defenses,  in the case
of clause (ii)(B),  and the Company shall be liable for any reasonable  legal or
other expenses incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense.

         7.10 Survival of Representations  and Warranties.  All  representations
and  warranties  contained  herein or made in writing by any party in connection
herewith  shall  survive the  execution  and delivery of this  Agreement and the
issuance  and  delivery  of the  Shares  and  the  Warrants,  regardless  of any
investigation made by or on behalf of any party.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement and the indemnity
obligations related to such  representations and warranties set forth in Section
7.9 shall  terminate  on, and no action or claim  with  respect  thereto  may be



brought after,  the Standstill  Termination Date (except for any action or claim
which is pending on such date as evidenced by written  notice  thereof which has
been delivered to the appropriate party prior to such date).

         7.11 Transfer of Shares.  Purchasers  understand and agree that neither
any Shares,  the Warrants nor any Warrant Shares have been or will be registered
under the Securities  Act or the securities  laws of any state and that they may
be sold or  otherwise  disposed of only in one or more  transactions  registered
under the  Securities  Act and,  where  applicable,  such laws or as to which an
exemption from the  registration  requirements  of the Securities Act and, where
applicable,  such laws is  available.  Purchasers  acknowledge  that,  except as
provided  in the  Registration  Rights  Agreement,  Purchasers  have no right to
require the Company to register the Shares,  the Warrants or the Warrant Shares.
Purchasers  understand and agree that each certificate  representing the Shares,
the  Warrants or the  Warrant  Shares  (other  than,  with  respect to the first
legend,  the  Shares,  the  Warrants  or the  Warrant  Shares that are no longer
subject to the  provisions  of  Section 5 and other  than,  with  respect to the
second  legend,  the Shares,  the Warrants or the Warrant Shares which have been
transferred in a transaction  registered under the Securities Act or exempt from
the  registration  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  pursuant  to Rule  144
thereunder or any similar rule or regulation) shall bear the following legends:

                  "THE TRANSFER OF THE SECURITIES  REPRESENTED BY
         THIS  CERTIFICATE  IS RESTRICTED BY AN AGREEMENT ON FILE
         AT THE OFFICES OF THE CORPORATION."

                  "THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE
         HAVE NOT BEEN  REGISTERED  UNDER THE  SECURITIES  ACT OF
         1933 OR THE SECURITIES  LAWS OF ANY STATE AND MAY NOT BE
         SOLD OR  OTHERWISE  DISPOSED  OF EXCEPT  PURSUANT  TO AN
         EFFECTIVE  REGISTRATION  STATEMENT  UNDER  SUCH  ACT AND
         APPLICABLE   STATE  SECURITIES  LAWS  OR  AN  APPLICABLE
         EXEMPTION TO THE  REGISTRATION  REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH ACT
         OR SUCH LAWS."

and Purchaser agrees to transfer the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares
only in accordance with the provisions of such legends.

         7.12 Governing  Law. This Agreement  shall be governed by and construed
and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

         7.13 Expenses.  The Company shall, promptly after receiving appropriate
evidence thereof,  reimburse Purchasers for their costs and expenses (including,
without limitation,  reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses) in connection with
the negotiation of this Agreement and the other documents referred to herein and
the consummation of the transaction contemplated hereby and thereby.

         7.14 Publicity. The Company and Purchasers shall agree upon the text of
a press release announcing the transactions contemplated hereby.

         7.15 Required  Percentages.  Various rights of Purchasers  contained in
this  Agreement are  conditioned  upon the Gilbert  Entities  Beneficial  Owning
Voting Securities  representing a specified  percentage of Total Voting Power (a
"Required  Percentage").   Notwithstanding  such  provisions,   such  rights  of
Purchasers  shall  not  terminate  if the  Voting  Power  represented  by Voting
Securities  Beneficially  Owned by the Gilbert  Entities is reduced to less than
the  applicable  Required  Percentage  as a result of the issuance of any Voting
Securities by the Company unless, in connection with such issuance,  the Gilbert
Entities  have, and do not exercise,  the right to purchase their  proportionate
share of such  Voting  Securities  pursuant  to  Section  5.6;  provided,  that,
notwithstanding the immediately preceding provision,  such right shall terminate
if any Gilbert Entity sells or otherwise transfers  Beneficial  Ownership of any
Voting Securities such that, excluding the effects of all such Voting Securities
issuances  by the  Company,  the  Voting  Securities  Beneficially  Owned by the
Gilbert Entities represent less than the applicable Required Percentage.




         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  Purchaser, Mr. Gilbert and the Company have caused
this  Agreement  to be duly  executed,  all as of the day and year  first  above
written.


                                    GILBERT FAMILY TRUST

                                    By     /s/G.S. Beckwith Gilbert
                                           -----------------------------
                                    Name:    G. S. Beckwith Gilbert
                                    Title:   Trustee




                                      /s/G.S. Beckwith Gilbert
                                    -------------------------------
                                    G. S. Beckwith Gilbert


                                    G. S. BECKWITH GILBERT I.R.A.
                                        CONTRIBUTORY ACCOUNT

                                    By      /s/G.S. Beckwith Gilbert
                                           -----------------------------
                                    Name:    G. S. Beckwith Gilbert
                                    Title:   Trustee



                                    DIANON SYSTEMS, INC.

                                    By      /s/Richard A. Sandberg
                                           ----------------------------
                                    Name:    Richard A. Sandberg
                                    Title:   President, Chairman and Chief
                                             Executive Officer