POWER OF ATTORNEY


        Know all men by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints Todd M. DuChene and Carrie M. Kane his true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact to:

        (1)  execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
             capacity as an officer and/or director of Fisher Scientific
             International Inc. (the "Company") Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance
             with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
             rules thereunder;

        (2)  do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
             undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete the
             execution of any such Form 3, 4 or 5 and the timely filing of such
             form with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or
             any other authority; and

        (3)  take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
             foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
             benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the
             undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by
             such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this
             Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such
             terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in his
             discretion.

        The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power
and authority to do and perform all and every act and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary and proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights
and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as such
attorneys-in-fact might or could do if personally present, with full power of
substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorneys-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers granted
herein. The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in
serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming any
of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.

        This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's holdings of an transactions in securities issued by the Company,
unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to
be executed as of the 12th day of August, 2004.


                                                   /s/ Simon B. Rich
                                                   ----------------------
                                                   Simon B. Rich