As  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  on  July 26,  2000.

                                             Registration Statement No. ________
-  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D. C. 20549
                 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                     THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED
                      - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                             RALSTON PURINA COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

     Missouri                                               43-0470580
(State  or  other  jurisdiction of                          (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation  or  organization)                            Identification No.)

Checkerboard  Square,  St.  Louis,  MO                          63164
(Address  of  principal  executive  offices)                    (Zip Code)

                             RALSTON PURINA COMPANY
                             SAVINGS INVESTMENT PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)
               - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Nancy E. Hamilton, Esq., Vice President, Secretary and Senior Counsel
                             RALSTON PURINA COMPANY
                               Checkerboard Square
                            St. Louis, Missouri 63164
                     (Name and address of agent for service)
              Telephone Number of agent for service: (314) 982-2296


<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


<S>                    <C>          <C>           <C>             <C>
                                                   Proposed
Title Of Securities                  Proposed      Maximum
To Be Registered     Amount To Be    Maximum       Aggregate      Amount Of
    (1)               Registered     Offering      Offering   Registration Fee
                                  Price Per Share
                                         (3)
Ralston  Purina
Common  Stock
$.10 par value        5,000,000      $19.78125     $98,906,250    $26,111.25
    (2)

</TABLE>


(1)     In  addition,  pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
        this registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of
        interests to  be offered  or  sold  pursuant  to  the  employee benefit
        plan described herein.
(2)     Includes  one  attached  Common  Stock  Purchase  Right  per  share.
(3)     Under  Rule  457  (c)  and  (h),  the  registration fee was based on the
        average  of  the  high and low prices of the Common Stock as reported on
        the New York  Stock  Exchange  on  July  20,  2000.

PART  I

The Section 10 (a) prospectus relating to the Savings Investment Plan is omitted
from  this  Registration  Statement  pursuant to the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

PART  II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item  3.     Incorporation  of  Documents  by  Reference.

     The  following  documents  filed  with  the Commission (File No. 1-4582) by
Ralston  Purina  Company  (hereinafter  the  "Registrant")  are  incorporated by
reference:

(i)     Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  for  the  year ended September 30, 1999,

(ii)    Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended December 31, 1999
        and  March  31,  1999,

(iii)   Current  Reports  on Form  8-K dated February 18, 2000, April 14, 2000,
        and July 25, 2000,

(iv)    Annual  Report  on  Form  11-K  for  the Plan for the fiscal year ended
        December  31,  1999,  and

(v)     The  description  of  the Registrant's shares of common stock, including
        the  Rights  related  to  the  shares  as set forth in the First Amended
        Rights Agreement  dated  as  of  May  28,  1998 between the Registrant
        and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., as  Rights  Agent,  contained  in the
        Registrant's Form 8-A Registration  Statements  under  the  Securities
        Exchange Act of 1934, filed on March 29, 1996, as amended
        January 21, 1999, including any amendments or reports filed  for  the
        purpose  of  updating  such  information.

     All  documents  subsequently  filed  by  the Registrant pursuant to Section
13(a),  13(c),  14  or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
prior  to  the  filing  of  a  post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities  offered  have  been  sold  or  which deregisters all securities then
remaining  unsold,  shall  be  deemed  to  be  incorporated by reference in this
Registration  Statement  and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.  Any statement incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be
modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent
that  a  statement  contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document
which  also  is  deemed  to  be  incorporated  by  reference  herein modifies or
supersedes  such  statement.  Any such statement so modified or superseded shall
not  be  deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute part of this
Registration  Statement.

Item  4.     Description  of  Securities.

     The  Registrant's  common  stock  is  registered  under  Section  12 of the
Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended.

Item  5.     Interests  of  Named  Experts  and  Counsel.

     The  validity  of  the  issuance  of  the  securities and obligations being
registered  has  been  passed upon for the Registrant by Nancy E. Hamilton, Vice
President,  Secretary  and  Senior  Counsel for the Registrant.  Ms. Hamilton is
paid  a  salary  by  the Registrant and participates in various employee benefit
plans  offered  to  employees  generally,  including  the Ralston Purina Company
Savings  Investment Plan, as well as in plans offered to a limited number of key
employees.  Ms.  Hamilton  directly  and  beneficially  owns  shares  of  the
Registrant's common stock, holds options to purchase additional shares of common
stock, and holds restricted shares of common stock.  Additionally, shares of the
Registrant's  common  stock  are  allocated  to Ms. Hamilton's account under the
Ralston  Purina  Company  Savings  Investment  Plan.

     The  financial  statements  incorporated  in this Registration Statement by
reference  to  the  Registrant's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
September  30,  1999,  have  been  so incorporated in reliance on the reports of
PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP,  independent accountants, given on the authority of
said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has
served as independent accountant to the Registrant since 1955, and has no equity
or  other  interest  in  Registrant.

Item  6.  Indemnification  of  Directors  and  Officers.

     Under  the  terms  of  Section 351.355 of the Missouri General and Business
Corporation  Law  ("GBCL")  and  the  Registrant's  Restated  Articles  of
Incorporation,  the  Registrant  must  indemnify  any  person  who  is  or was a
director,  officer  or  employee  of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the
request  of  the Registrant as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation,  partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any
and  all  expenses, including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid
in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with
any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, proceeding or claim
(including an action by or in the right of the Registrant) by reason of the fact
that  he  or she is or was serving in such capacity, provided that such person's
conduct  is not finally adjudged to have been knowingly fraudulent, deliberately
dishonest  or  willful  misconduct.  As  permitted  by the Registrant's Restated
Articles,  the  Registrant has entered into contracts with each of its directors
and  certain  officers guaranteeing the indemnification provisions stated in the
Restated  Articles  and  providing  for advancement to such individuals of legal
fees and other expenses necessary in defending against such actions, proceedings
or  claims.

     The  Registrant  has directors' and officers' insurance which protects each
director  and  officer  from  liability  for  actions taken in their capacity as
directors  or  officers.  This  insurance  may provide broader coverage for such
individuals  in  certain  situations  than  may be required by the provisions of
Section  351.355  or  the  Registrant's  Restated  Articles  of  Incorporation.

     The  foregoing  represents  a summary of the general effect of Missouri law
and  the Registrant's Restated Articles of Incorporation for purposes of general
description only.  Additional information regarding indemnification of directors
and  officers  can  be  found  in  Section  351.355  of  the  Missouri GBCL, the
Registrant's  Restated  Articles  of  Incorporation  and its pertinent insurance
contracts.

Item  7.  Exemption  from  Registration  Claimed.

     Not  Applicable.

Item  8.  Exhibits.

     Exhibit  4.1   Ralston  Purina  Company  Savings  Investment  Plan.

     Exhibit  4.2   Ralston  Purina Retirement  Plan.

     Exhibit  5     Opinion  of Nancy E. Hamilton, Vice President, Secretary and
                    Senior  Counsel.

     Exhibit  23    Consent  of  Independent Accountants.

     Exhibit  24    Power  of  Attorney  (included  in  Signature  Page).

Item  9.  Undertakings.

(a)     The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes:

     (1)  To  file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
          post-effective  amendment  to  this  registration  statement:

     (i)     to  include  any  prospectus  required  by  Section 10(a)(3) of the
             Securities Act  of  1933;

     (ii)    to  reflect  in  the  prospectus  any facts or events arising after
             the effective  date of the registration statement (or the most
             recent post-effective amendment  thereof)  which,  individually
             or  in  the  aggregate,  represent  a fundamental  change  in  the
             information  in  the  registration  statement;

     (iii)   to  include  any  material  information  with  respect  to the plan
             or distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in  the  registration
             statement or any material  change  to  such  information  in  the
             registration  statement;

provided,  however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the information
required  to  be  included  in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained  in  periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the
Registrant  pursuant  to  Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act  of  1934  that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

     (2)  That for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act  of  1933,  each  such  post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration  statement  relating  to  the  securities  offered therein, and the
offering  of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide  offering  thereof.

     (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

(b)     The  undersigned  Registrant hereby undertakes that, for the purposes of
determining  any  liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant  to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934  (and,  where  applicable, each filing of an
employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the
Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934)  that  is  incorporated by reference in the
registration  statement  shall  be  deemed  to  be  a new registration statement
relating  to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at  that  time  shall  be  deemed  to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c)     Insofar  as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act  of  1933  may  be  permitted with respect to directors, officers or persons
controlling  the  Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the  Registrant  has  been  advised  that  in  the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange  Commission  such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in  the  Securities Act of 1933, and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event
that  a  claim  for  indemnification  against  such  liabilities (other than the
payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling  person  of  the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit  or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in  connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless
in  the  opinion  of  its  counsel  the  matter  has been settled by controlling
precedent,  submit  to  a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such  indemnification  by  it  is  against  public  policy  as  expressed in the
Securities  Act  of 1933, and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.

<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES

     The  Registrant.  Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of the Securities Act of
1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets  all  of  the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly  authorized,  in  the  City  of  St.  Louis, Missouri, as of the 19th day
of July, 2000.



                         RALSTON  PURINA  COMPANY


                         By:  /s/ W. Patrick McGinnis
                              -----------------------
                              W. Patrick McGinnis
                              Chief  Executive  Officer


<PAGE>






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW  ALL  MEN  BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below  constitutes and appoints Stanley M. Rea, Nancy E. Hamilton and Charles S.
Sommer,  and  each  of  them,  his  or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents,  with  full  power of substitution and resubstitution, for and in his or
her  name,  place  and  stead,  in  any  and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments  (including post-effective amendments), and to file the same with all
exhibits  thereto,  and  other  documents  in  connection  therewith,  with  the
Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents,  and  each  of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every  act  and  thing  requisite  and  necessary  to  be  done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in
person,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming  that all said attorneys-in-fact and
agents  or  any  of  them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully  do  or  cause  to  be  done  by  virtue  hereof.


<PAGE>
Pursuant  to  the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration
Statement  has  been signed by the following persons in the capacities described
as  of  July 24, 2000.


SIGNATURE                                   TITLE
---------                                   -----


/s/ William P. Stiritz                      Chairman of the Board
-----------------------------
William P. Stiritz




/s/ W. Patrick McGinnis                     Director and Chief Executive
-----------------------------               Officer and President
W. Patrick McGinnis



/s/ James R. Elsesser                       Vice President, Chief
-----------------------------               Financial Officer and
James R. Elsesser                           Treasurer


/s/ Anita M. Wray                           Vice President and
-----------------------------               Controller
Anita M. Wray


/s/ David R. Banks                          Director
-----------------------------
David R. Banks


/s/ John H. Biggs                           Director
-----------------------------
John H. Biggs


/s/ Donald Danforth, Jr.                    Director
-----------------------------
Donald  Danforth,  Jr.


/s/ William H. Danforth                     Director
-----------------------------
William  H.  Danforth


/s/ David C. Farrell                        Director
-----------------------------
David  C.  Farrell


<PAGE>

SIGNATURE                                   TITLE
---------                                   -----



/s/ M. Darrell Ingram                       Director
------------------------------
M.  Darrell  Ingram


/s/ Richard A. Liddy                        Director
------------------------------
Richard  A.  Liddy


/s/ John F. McDonnell                       Director
------------------------------
John  F.  McDonnell


/s/ Katherine D. Ortega                     Director
------------------------------
Katherine  D.  Ortega


/s/ Ronald L. Thompson                      Director
------------------------------
Ronald  L.  Thompson




     The  Plan.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Plan  Administrator  of  the  Ralston Purina Company Savings Investment Plan has
duly  caused  this  Registration  Statement  to  be  signed on its behalf by the
undersigned,  thereunto  duly  authorized,  in  the  City of St. Louis, State of
Missouri,  as  of  the  19th  day  of  July,  2000.


                              RALSTON  PURINA  COMPANY,
                              as  Plan  Administrator



                         By:     /s/ W. Patrick McGinnis
                                 -----------------------------
                                 W. Patrick McGinnis
                                 Chief  Executive  Officer

<PAGE>
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibits
----------

4.1    Ralston Purina Company Savings Investment Plan

4.2    Ralston Purina Retirement Plan

5      Opinion of Nancy E. Hamilton, Vice President, Secretary
       and Senior Counsel

23     Consent  of  Independent  Accountants
        (provided  electronically)

24     Power of Attorney (included in Signature Page)
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "0001.txt", "secsgml_size_bytes": 18967}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "RALSTON PURINA CO", "cik": "0000081870", "assigned-sic": "2040", "irs-number": "430470580", "state-of-incorporation": "MO", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-42246", "film-number": "678979"}, "business-address": {"street1": "CHECKERBOARD SQ", "city": "ST LOUIS", "state": "MO", "zip": "63164", "phone": "3149821000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "CHECKERBOARD SQUARE", "city": "ST LOUIS", "state": "MO", "zip": "63164"}}
As  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  on  July 26,  2000.

                                             Registration Statement No. ________
-  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D. C. 20549
                 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                     THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED
                      - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                             RALSTON PURINA COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

     Missouri                                               43-0470580
(State  or  other  jurisdiction of                          (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation  or  organization)                            Identification No.)

Checkerboard  Square,  St.  Louis,  MO                          63164
(Address  of  principal  executive  offices)                    (Zip Code)

                             RALSTON PURINA COMPANY
                             SAVINGS INVESTMENT PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)
               - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Nancy E. Hamilton, Esq., Vice President, Secretary and Senior Counsel
                             RALSTON PURINA COMPANY
                               Checkerboard Square
                            St. Louis, Missouri 63164
                     (Name and address of agent for service)
              Telephone Number of agent for service: (314) 982-2296
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed
Title Of Securities                  Proposed      Maximum
To Be Registered     Amount To Be    Maximum       Aggregate      Amount Of
    (1)               Registered     Offering      Offering   Registration Fee
                                  Price Per Share
                                         (3)
Ralston  Purina
Common  Stock
$.10 par value        5,000,000      $19.78125     $98,906,250    $26,111.25
    (2)
(1)     In  addition,  pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
        this registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of
        interests to  be offered  or  sold  pursuant  to  the  employee benefit
        plan described herein.
(2)     Includes  one  attached  Common  Stock  Purchase  Right  per  share.
(3)     Under  Rule  457  (c)  and  (h),  the  registration fee was based on the
        average  of  the  high and low prices of the Common Stock as reported on
        the New York  Stock  Exchange  on  July  20,  2000.

PART  I

The Section 10 (a) prospectus relating to the Savings Investment Plan is omitted
from  this  Registration  Statement  pursuant to the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

PART  II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item  3.     Incorporation  of  Documents  by  Reference.

     The  following  documents  filed  with  the Commission (File No. 1-4582) by
Ralston  Purina  Company  (hereinafter  the  "Registrant")  are  incorporated by
reference:

(i)     Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  for  the  year ended September 30, 1999,

(ii)    Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended December 31, 1999
        and  March  31,  1999,

(iii)   Current  Reports  on Form  8-K dated February 18, 2000, April 14, 2000,
        and July 25, 2000,

(iv)    Annual  Report  on  Form  11-K  for  the Plan for the fiscal year ended
        December  31,  1999,  and

(v)     The  description  of  the Registrant's shares of common stock, including
        the  Rights  related  to  the  shares  as set forth in the First Amended
        Rights Agreement  dated  as  of  May  28,  1998 between the Registrant
        and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., as  Rights  Agent,  contained  in the
        Registrant's Form 8-A Registration  Statements  under  the  Securities
        Exchange Act of 1934, filed on March 29, 1996, as amended
        January 21, 1999, including any amendments or reports filed  for  the
        purpose  of  updating  such  information.

     All  documents  subsequently  filed  by  the Registrant pursuant to Section
13(a),  13(c),  14  or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
prior  to  the  filing  of  a  post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities  offered  have  been  sold  or  which deregisters all securities then
remaining  unsold,  shall  be  deemed  to  be  incorporated by reference in this
Registration  Statement  and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.  Any statement incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be
modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent
that  a  statement  contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document
which  also  is  deemed  to  be  incorporated  by  reference  herein modifies or
supersedes  such  statement.  Any such statement so modified or superseded shall
not  be  deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute part of this
Registration  Statement.

Item  4.     Description  of  Securities.

     The  Registrant's  common  stock  is  registered  under  Section  12 of the
Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended.

Item  5.     Interests  of  Named  Experts  and  Counsel.

     The  validity  of  the  issuance  of  the  securities and obligations being
registered  has  been  passed upon for the Registrant by Nancy E. Hamilton, Vice
President,  Secretary  and  Senior  Counsel for the Registrant.  Ms. Hamilton is
paid  a  salary  by  the Registrant and participates in various employee benefit
plans  offered  to  employees  generally,  including  the Ralston Purina Company
Savings  Investment Plan, as well as in plans offered to a limited number of key
employees.  Ms.  Hamilton  directly  and  beneficially  owns  shares  of  the
Registrant's common stock, holds options to purchase additional shares of common
stock, and holds restricted shares of common stock.  Additionally, shares of the
Registrant's  common  stock  are  allocated  to Ms. Hamilton's account under the
Ralston  Purina  Company  Savings  Investment  Plan.

     The  financial  statements  incorporated  in this Registration Statement by
reference  to  the  Registrant's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
September  30,  1999,  have  been  so incorporated in reliance on the reports of
PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP,  independent accountants, given on the authority of
said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has
served as independent accountant to the Registrant since 1955, and has no equity
or  other  interest  in  Registrant.

Item  6.  Indemnification  of  Directors  and  Officers.

     Under  the  terms  of  Section 351.355 of the Missouri General and Business
Corporation  Law  ("GBCL")  and  the  Registrant's  Restated  Articles  of
Incorporation,  the  Registrant  must  indemnify  any  person  who  is  or was a
director,  officer  or  employee  of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the
request  of  the Registrant as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation,  partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any
and  all  expenses, including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid
in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with
any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, proceeding or claim
(including an action by or in the right of the Registrant) by reason of the fact
that  he  or she is or was serving in such capacity, provided that such person's
conduct  is not finally adjudged to have been knowingly fraudulent, deliberately
dishonest  or  willful  misconduct.  As  permitted  by the Registrant's Restated
Articles,  the  Registrant has entered into contracts with each of its directors
and  certain  officers guaranteeing the indemnification provisions stated in the
Restated  Articles  and  providing  for advancement to such individuals of legal
fees and other expenses necessary in defending against such actions, proceedings
or  claims.

     The  Registrant  has directors' and officers' insurance which protects each
director  and  officer  from  liability  for  actions taken in their capacity as
directors  or  officers.  This  insurance  may provide broader coverage for such
individuals  in  certain  situations  than  may be required by the provisions of
Section  351.355  or  the  Registrant's  Restated  Articles  of  Incorporation.

     The  foregoing  represents  a summary of the general effect of Missouri law
and  the Registrant's Restated Articles of Incorporation for purposes of general
description only.  Additional information regarding indemnification of directors
and  officers  can  be  found  in  Section  351.355  of  the  Missouri GBCL, the
Registrant's  Restated  Articles  of  Incorporation  and its pertinent insurance
contracts.

Item  7.  Exemption  from  Registration  Claimed.

     Not  Applicable.

Item  8.  Exhibits.

     Exhibit  4.1   Ralston  Purina  Company  Savings  Investment  Plan.

     Exhibit  4.2   Ralston  Purina Retirement  Plan.

     Exhibit  5     Opinion  of Nancy E. Hamilton, Vice President, Secretary and
                    Senior  Counsel.

     Exhibit  23    Consent  of  Independent Accountants.

     Exhibit  24    Power  of  Attorney  (included  in  Signature  Page).

Item  9.  Undertakings.

(a)     The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes:

     (1)  To  file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
          post-effective  amendment  to  this  registration  statement:

     (i)     to  include  any  prospectus  required  by  Section 10(a)(3) of the
             Securities Act  of  1933;

     (ii)    to  reflect  in  the  prospectus  any facts or events arising after
             the effective  date of the registration statement (or the most
             recent post-effective amendment  thereof)  which,  individually
             or  in  the  aggregate,  represent  a fundamental  change  in  the
             information  in  the  registration  statement;

     (iii)   to  include  any  material  information  with  respect  to the plan
             or distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in  the  registration
             statement or any material  change  to  such  information  in  the
             registration  statement;

provided,  however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the information
required  to  be  included  in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained  in  periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the
Registrant  pursuant  to  Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act  of  1934  that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

     (2)  That for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act  of  1933,  each  such  post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration  statement  relating  to  the  securities  offered therein, and the
offering  of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide  offering  thereof.

     (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

(b)     The  undersigned  Registrant hereby undertakes that, for the purposes of
determining  any  liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant  to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934  (and,  where  applicable, each filing of an
employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the
Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934)  that  is  incorporated by reference in the
registration  statement  shall  be  deemed  to  be  a new registration statement
relating  to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at  that  time  shall  be  deemed  to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c)     Insofar  as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act  of  1933  may  be  permitted with respect to directors, officers or persons
controlling  the  Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the  Registrant  has  been  advised  that  in  the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange  Commission  such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in  the  Securities Act of 1933, and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event
that  a  claim  for  indemnification  against  such  liabilities (other than the
payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling  person  of  the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit  or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in  connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless
in  the  opinion  of  its  counsel  the  matter  has been settled by controlling
precedent,  submit  to  a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such  indemnification  by  it  is  against  public  policy  as  expressed in the
Securities  Act  of 1933, and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
SIGNATURES

     The  Registrant.  Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of the Securities Act of
1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets  all  of  the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly  authorized,  in  the  City  of  St.  Louis, Missouri, as of the 19th day
of July, 2000.

                         RALSTON  PURINA  COMPANY

                         By:  /s/ W. Patrick McGinnis
                              -----------------------
                              W. Patrick McGinnis
                              Chief  Executive  Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW  ALL  MEN  BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below  constitutes and appoints Stanley M. Rea, Nancy E. Hamilton and Charles S.
Sommer,  and  each  of  them,  his  or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents,  with  full  power of substitution and resubstitution, for and in his or
her  name,  place  and  stead,  in  any  and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments  (including post-effective amendments), and to file the same with all
exhibits  thereto,  and  other  documents  in  connection  therewith,  with  the
Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents,  and  each  of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every  act  and  thing  requisite  and  necessary  to  be  done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in
person,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming  that all said attorneys-in-fact and
agents  or  any  of  them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully  do  or  cause  to  be  done  by  virtue  hereof.
Pursuant  to  the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration
Statement  has  been signed by the following persons in the capacities described
as  of  July 24, 2000.

SIGNATURE                                   TITLE
---------                                   -----

/s/ William P. Stiritz                      Chairman of the Board
-----------------------------
William P. Stiritz

/s/ W. Patrick McGinnis                     Director and Chief Executive
-----------------------------               Officer and President
W. Patrick McGinnis

/s/ James R. Elsesser                       Vice President, Chief
-----------------------------               Financial Officer and
James R. Elsesser                           Treasurer

/s/ Anita M. Wray                           Vice President and
-----------------------------               Controller
Anita M. Wray

/s/ David R. Banks                          Director
-----------------------------
David R. Banks

/s/ John H. Biggs                           Director
-----------------------------
John H. Biggs

/s/ Donald Danforth, Jr.                    Director
-----------------------------
Donald  Danforth,  Jr.

/s/ William H. Danforth                     Director
-----------------------------
William  H.  Danforth

/s/ David C. Farrell                        Director
-----------------------------
David  C.  Farrell
SIGNATURE                                   TITLE
---------                                   -----

/s/ M. Darrell Ingram                       Director
------------------------------
M.  Darrell  Ingram

/s/ Richard A. Liddy                        Director
------------------------------
Richard  A.  Liddy

/s/ John F. McDonnell                       Director
------------------------------
John  F.  McDonnell

/s/ Katherine D. Ortega                     Director
------------------------------
Katherine  D.  Ortega

/s/ Ronald L. Thompson                      Director
------------------------------
Ronald  L.  Thompson

     The  Plan.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Plan  Administrator  of  the  Ralston Purina Company Savings Investment Plan has
duly  caused  this  Registration  Statement  to  be  signed on its behalf by the
undersigned,  thereunto  duly  authorized,  in  the  City of St. Louis, State of
Missouri,  as  of  the  19th  day  of  July,  2000.

                              RALSTON  PURINA  COMPANY,
                              as  Plan  Administrator

                         By:     /s/ W. Patrick McGinnis
                                 -----------------------------
                                 W. Patrick McGinnis
                                 Chief  Executive  Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibits
----------

4.1    Ralston Purina Company Savings Investment Plan

4.2    Ralston Purina Retirement Plan

5      Opinion of Nancy E. Hamilton, Vice President, Secretary
       and Senior Counsel

23     Consent  of  Independent  Accountants
        (provided  electronically)

24     Power of Attorney (included in Signature Page)