8-K

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 8-K

                                CURRENT REPORT


                    Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) January 13, 2000
                                                 ----------------


                         BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


        New Jersey                 001-4802                   22-0760120
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (State or other juris-         (Commission               (IRS Employer Iden-
  diction of incorporation)       File Number)              tification Number)

  1 Becton Drive, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey                  07417-1880
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address of principal executive offices)                  (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code         (201) 867-6800

                                      N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       (Former name of former addresses if changed since last report.)



Item 7.         Exhibits
                --------

                The Registrant is filing herewith the exhibit referenced in the
                Index To Exhibit annexed hereto and made a part hereof.


                                  SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                        BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
                                                 (Registrant)

                                        By:  /s/ Bridget M. Healy
                                           -----------------------------
                                                 Bridget M. Healy
                                           Vice President and Secretary





Date:  January 14, 2000



                                      -3-


                               INDEX TO EXHIBIT
                               ----------------


Exhibit
Number               Description of Exhibit
- -------              ----------------------
13                   Litigation: Subsequent Events

EX-13

On January 13, 2000 in the matter of Usrey v. Becton, Dickinson and Company, et
al. (Case No. 342-173329-98, Tarrant County District Court), filed in Texas
state court on April 9, 1998, the Court signed an order conditionally granting
plaintiffs' motion for class certification on behalf of certain Texas healthcare
workers, subject to modification and alteration under Texas procedural law.
Under Texas law, the order is subject to an immediate appeal, and any trial in
the matter is stayed pending appeal.

Becton, Dickinson and Company intends to appeal the order and will otherwise
continue to vigorously defend this matter.

On January 13, 2000 in the matter of Benner v. Becton, Dickinson and Company, et
al., originally filed on June 1, 1999 in Supreme Court of the State of New York
(Case No. 99-111372) and removed to federal court on July 1, 1999 (No. 99 Civ.
4785, United States District Court, Southern District of New York), the Court
granted Becton, Dickinson and Company's motion to dismiss the plaintiff's
complaint for failure to state a cause of action.  The Benner matter was an
action seeking class action certification on behalf of certain New York
healthcare workers alleging that syringes and other medical devices were
defectively designed. The Court dismissed the complaint without prejudice,
giving the plaintiff twenty-one days within which to file an amended complaint.