SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           WASHINGTON, D. C.  20549
                  -------------------------------------------
                                  FORM 10-K-A

                              AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO
               ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                      THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

   FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1996  COMMISSION FILE NO. 1-4582

                            RALSTON PURINA COMPANY
     INCORPORATED IN MISSOURI - IRS EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO. 43-0470580
                CHECKERBOARD SQUARE, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63164
       REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE:  314-982-1000
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          SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(B) OF THE ACT:


Title  of  each  class          Name  of  each  exchange  on  which registered
----------------------          ----------------------------------------------
RALSTON  PURINA  COMPANY          NEW  YORK  STOCK  EXCHANGE,  INC.
COMMON  STOCK,  PAR  VALUE  $.10  PER  SHARE          CHICAGO  STOCK  EXCHANGE
     PACIFIC  STOCK  EXCHANGE  INCORPORATED
RALSTON  PURINA  COMPANY          NEW  YORK  STOCK  EXCHANGE,  INC.
COMMON  STOCK  PURCHASE  RIGHTS          CHICAGO  STOCK  EXCHANGE
     PACIFIC  STOCK  EXCHANGE  INCORPORATED
5  3/4%  CONVERTIBLE SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES     NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, INC.
9  1/4%  DEBENTURES          NEW  YORK  STOCK  EXCHANGE,  INC.
9.30%  DEBENTURES          NEW  YORK  STOCK  EXCHANGE,  INC.
8  5/8%  DEBENTURES          NEW  YORK  STOCK  EXCHANGE,  INC.
8  1/8%  DEBENTURES          NEW  YORK  STOCK  EXCHANGE,  INC.
7  7/8  %  DEBENTURES          NEW  YORK  STOCK  EXCHANGE,  INC.
7  3/4%  DEBENTURES          NEW  YORK  STOCK  EXCHANGE,  INC.


Registrant  has  filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d)
of  the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months and has
been  subject  to  such  filing  requirements  for  the  past  90  days.

Yes:    X          No:

Disclosure  of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not
contained  herein  and  will  not  be  contained,  to the best of registrant's
knowledge, in the definitive proxy statement incorporated by reference in Part
III  of  this  Form  10-K  or  any  amendment  to  this  Form  10-K.

Yes:                    No:    X

     AGGREGATE MARKET VALUE OF THE VOTING STOCK HELD BY NONAFFILIATES OF THE
   REGISTRANT                AS OF THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON NOVEMBER 1, 1996:
                                $7,499,138,720.

(Excluded from this figure is the voting stock held by Registrant's Directors,
who  are  the only persons known to Registrant who may be considered to be its
"affiliates"  as  defined  under  Rule  12b-2.)

Number  of  shares  of Ralston Purina Company Common Stock ("RAL Stock"), $.10
par  value,  outstanding  as  of  close  of  business  on  November  1,  1996:
105,975,413.

                      DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

1.       Portions of Ralston Purina Company 1996 Annual Report to Shareholders
(Parts  I  and  II  of  Form  10-K).

2.       Portions of Ralston Purina Company Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy
Statement  dated  December  6,  1996  (Part  III  of  Form  10-K).

                                AMENDMENT NO. 1

The  undersigned  registrant hereby amends Item 14b. (10) of its Annual Report
of  Form  10-K for the year ended September 30, 1996, to add, as exhibits, the
following  material  contracts,  as  sub  items  (xx)  and  (xxi):

10  (xx)  Shareholder  Agreement by and among Interstate Bakeries Corporation,
Rlston  Purina  Company  and  VCS  Holding  Company,  dated  July  22,  1995.

10 (xxi)  Supplement to Shareholder Agreement by and among Interstate Bakeries
Corporation,  Ralston  Purina  Company and VCS Holding Company, dated July 25,
1995.

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

     RALSTON  PURINA  COMPANY
Registrant

By
        James  M.  Neville
              Vice  President  and
               General  Counsel
Date:    May  15,  1997

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EXHIBIT  INDEX
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Exhibits
--------

          Exhibit  10  (xx)      Shareholder Agreement by and among Interstate
Bakeries Corporation, Raslton Purina Comany and VCS Holding Company,
dated  July  25,  1995.

          Exhibit  10  (xxi)        Supplement to Shareholder Agreement by and
among Interstate Bakeries Coropration, Ralston Purina
Company and VCS Holding Company, dated July 25, 1995.