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                                                                   Exhibit 10.57

                                 NINTH AMENDMENT
                                     TO THE
                      FISHER SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL INC.
                         SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN

      WHEREAS, Fisher Scientific International Inc. (the "Company") established
and maintains the Fisher Scientific International Inc. Savings and Profit
Sharing Plan (the "Plan"); and

      WHEREAS, the Fisher Scientific International Inc. Administrative and
Investment Committee (the "Committee") has the authority pursuant to Sections
11.1 and 11.5 of the Plan to amend the Plan; and

      WHEREAS, the Committee desires to clarify and specify that amounts paid to
employees as severance payments are not Compensation within the meaning of the
Plan and that employees receiving severance payments may not use such severance
amounts to make Before-Tax Contributions and/or After-Tax Contributions under
the Plan;

      WHEREAS, the Committee desires to impose the six-month suspension on
Before-Tax Contributions and/or After-Tax Contributions following a
Participant's hardship withdrawal from the Plan in accordance with the Treasury
Regulations permitting such suspensions; and

      WHEREAS, the Committee desires to permit a Participant to receive a loan
with a term of up to fifteen (15) years for the purchase of a primary residence.

      NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved as follows:

      RESOLVED, that effective as of the date of this Amendment, Section 1.16 of
the Plan (definition of Compensation) is hereby amended by the addition of a new
third sentence to read as follows:

      "In addition, Compensation does not include any amount paid as or on
account of severance regardless of whether such amounts are paid pursuant to a
severance plan, agreement or otherwise.

      RESOLVED, FURTHER, that effective as of August 1, 2004, Section 8.4 of the
Plan is amended by the addition of a new subsection (e) to read as follows:

      "(e) A Participant who receives a hardship withdrawal under this Section
may not make Before-Tax Contributions and/or After-Tax Contributions to the Plan
for the six-month period following the receipt of such hardship withdrawal."

      RESOLVED, FURTHER, that effective as of August 1, 2004, Section 8.5(b) of
the Plan is amended by the addition of a new subsection (iii) to read as
follows:

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      "(iii) A Participant who receives a hardship withdrawal under this Section
may not make Before-Tax Contributions and/or After-Tax Contributions to the Plan
for the six-month period following the receipt of such hardship withdrawal."

      RESOLVED, FURTHER, that effective as of August 1, 2004, Section 9.2 of the
Plan is amended in its entirety to read as follows:

      9.2 LOAN TERM. The term of a loan shall be determined by the borrower, but
shall not exceed five (5) years, except in the case of a purchase of a primary
residence for which such term shall not exceed fifteen (15) years.

      RESOLVED, FINALLY, that all other provisions of the Plan shall remain in
full force and effect.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Fisher Scientific International Inc. Savings and
Profit Sharing Plan is amended this 14 day of April, 2004.

                                        ADMINISTRATIVE AND INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

                                        /s/ Paul M. Meister
                                        ------------------------------------
                                        Paul M. Meister

                                        /s/ Todd M. DuChene
                                        ------------------------------------
                                        Todd M. DuChene