Document:

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                                                                 EXHIBIT 10.12

                       INTERNATIONAL SPORTS WAGERING INC.

                             1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN

                          (As Amended January 7, 1999)

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                       IINTERNATIONALSSPORTSWWAGERINGIINC.
                             1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN

                                Table of Contents

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1.       Purpose of the Plan...................................................................1

2.       Stock Subject to the Plan.............................................................1

3.       Administration of the Plan............................................................1

4.       Type of Option........................................................................2

5.       Eligibility...........................................................................2

6.       Restrictions on Options...............................................................3

7.       Option Agreement; Disqualifying Dispositions..........................................3

8.       Option Price..........................................................................4

9.       Manner of Payment; Manner of Exercise.................................................4

10.      Exercise of Options...................................................................5

11.      Term of Options; Exercisability.......................................................5

12.      Transferability.......................................................................6

13.      Recapitalization, Reorganizations and the Like........................................7

14.      No Special Employment Rights..........................................................8

15.      Withholding...........................................................................8

16.      Restrictions on Exercise of Options and Issuance of Shares............................8

17.      Purchase for Investment; Rights of Holder on Subsequent Registration..................9

18.      Loans.................................................................................9

19.      Modification of Outstanding Options..................................................10

20.      Approval of Board and Stockholders...................................................10

21.      Termination and Amendment of Plan....................................................10

22.      Duties of the Company................................................................10

23.      Limitation of Rights in the Option Shares............................................11

24.      Governing Law........................................................................11
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25.      Notices..............................................................................11

26.      Headings.............................................................................11
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                       INTERNATIONAL SPORTS WAGERING INC.

                             1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN

                          (As Amended January 7, 1999)

1.       Purpose of the Plan.

         The purpose of the International Sports Wagering Inc. 1996 Stock Option
Plan (the "Plan") is to advance the interests of International Sports Wagering
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), by providing an opportunity for
ownership of the stock of the Company by employees, agents and directors of, and
consultants to, the Company or of any subsidiary corporation (herein called
"subsidiary" or "subsidiaries"), as defined in Section 424(f) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and the Treasury regulations
promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"). Such employees, agents and directors
of, and consultants to, the Company or any subsidiary are hereinafter referred
to individually as an "Eligible Person" and collectively as "Eligible Persons".
By providing an opportunity for such stock ownership, the Company seeks to
attract and retain qualified personnel, and otherwise to provide additional
incentive for optionees to promote the success of its business.

2.       Stock Subject to the Plan.

         (a) The total number of shares of the authorized but unissued or
treasury shares of the common stock, having no par value per share, of the
Company (the "Common Stock") for which options may be granted under the Plan
(the "Options") shall be 825,000, subject to adjustment as provided in Section
13 hereof.

         (b) If an Option granted or assumed hereunder shall expire or terminate
for any reason without having been exercised in full, the unpurchased shares
subject thereto shall again be available for subsequent Option grants under the
Plan.

         (c) Common Stock issuable upon exercise of an Option may be subject to
such restrictions on transfer, repurchase rights or other conditions or
restrictions as shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company
(the "Board").

         (d) The maximum number of Options that may be granted to any Eligible
Person during any calendar year is 250,000.

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3.       Administration of the Plan.

         (a) The Plan shall be administered by the Board. No member of the Board
shall act upon any matter affecting any Option granted or to be granted to
himself or herself under the Plan; provided, however, that nothing contained
herein shall be deemed to prohibit a member of the Board from acting upon any
matter generally affecting the Plan or any Options granted thereunder. A
majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum, and any action
may be taken by a majority of those present and voting at any meeting. The
decision of the Board as to all questions of interpretation and application of
the Plan shall be final, binding and conclusive on all persons. The Board, in
its sole discretion, may grant Options to purchase shares of the Common Stock
only as provided in the Plan, and shares shall be issued upon exercise of such
Options as provided in the Plan. The Board shall have authority, subject to the
express provisions of the Plan, to determine the Eligible Persons who shall be
issued Options, the times when Options shall be granted and within which they
may be exercised, the prices at which Options shall be exercised, the number of
shares of Common Stock to be subject to each Option and whether an Option shall
be treated as an incentive stock option or a non-qualified stock option. The
Board shall also have the authority, subject to the express provisions of the
Plan, to amend the Plan, to determine the terms and provisions of the respective
option agreements, which may but need not be identical, to construe the
respective option agreements and the Plan, and to make all other determinations
in the judgment of the Board necessary or desirable for the administration of
the Plan. The Board may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile
any inconsistency in the Plan or in any option agreement in the manner and to
the extent it shall deem expedient to implement the Plan and shall be the sole
and final judge of such expediency. The Board, in its discretion, may delegate
its power, duties and responsibilities to a committee, consisting solely of two
or more "Non-Employee Directors" (as hereinafter defined). If a committee is so
appointed, all references to the Board herein shall mean and relate to such
committee. The existence of such a committee shall not affect the power or
authority of the Board to administer the Plan. For the purposes of the Plan, the
term "Non-Employee Director" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in paragraph
(b)(3) of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), as such term is interpreted from time to time.

4.       Type of Option.

         Options granted pursuant to the Plan shall be authorized by action of
the Board and may be designated as either incentive stock options meeting the
requirements of Section 422 of the Code or non-qualified stock options which are
not intended to meet the requirements of such Section 422 of the Code, the
designation to be in the sole discretion of the Board. Options designated as
incentive stock options that fail to continue to meet the requirements of
Section 422 of the Code shall be redesignated as non-qualified stock options
automatically without further action by the Board on the date of such failure to
continue to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

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5.       Eligibility.

         Options designated as incentive stock options may be granted only to
Eligible Persons who are officers or employees of the Company or of any
subsidiary. Directors who are not otherwise employees of the Company or a
subsidiary shall not be eligible to be granted incentive stock options pursuant
to the Plan. Options designated as non-qualified stock options may be granted to
any Eligible Person.

         The Board shall take into account such factors as it may deem relevant
in determining the number of shares of Common Stock to be included in an Option
to be granted to any Eligible Person.

6.       Restrictions on Options.

         Incentive stock options (but not non-qualified stock options) granted
under this Plan shall be subject to the following restrictions:

         (a) Limitation on Number of Shares. The aggregate fair market value of
the shares of Common Stock with respect to which incentive stock options are
granted (determined as of the date the incentive stock options are granted),
exercisable for the first time by an individual during any calendar year shall
not exceed $100,000. If an incentive stock option is granted pursuant to which
the aggregate fair market value of shares with respect to which it first becomes
exercisable in any calendar year by an individual exceeds such $100,000
limitation, the portion of such option which is in excess of the $100,000
limitation shall be treated as a non-qualified stock option pursuant to Section
422(d)(1) of the Code. In determining the fair market value under this clause
(a), the provisions of Section 8 hereof shall apply. In the event that an
individual is eligible to participate in any other stock option plan of the
Company or any subsidiary of the Company which is also intended to comply with
the provisions of Section 422 of the Code, such $100,000 limitation shall apply
to the aggregate number of shares for which incentive stock options may be
granted under this Plan and all such other plans.

         (b) Ten Percent Stockholder. If any Eligible Person to whom an
incentive stock option is granted pursuant to the provisions of the Plan is on
the date of grant the owner of stock (as determined under Section 424(d) of the
Code) possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes
of stock of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, then the following
special provisions shall be applicable to the incentive stock options granted to
such individual:

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                  (i) The Option price per share subject to such Options shall
be not less than 110% of the fair market value of the shares of Common Stock
with respect to which Options are granted (determined as of the date such Option
was granted). In determining the fair market value under this clause (i), the
provisions of Section 8 hereof shall apply.

                  (ii) The Option by its terms shall not be exercisable after
the expiration of five years from the date such Option is granted.

7.       Option Agreement; Disqualifying Dispositions.

         (a) Each Option shall be evidenced by an option agreement, in a form
approved from time to time by the Board (the "Agreement"), duly executed on
behalf of the Company and by the optionee to whom such Option is granted, which
Agreement shall comply with and be subject to the terms and conditions of the
Plan. The Agreement may contain such other terms, provisions and conditions
which are not inconsistent with the Plan as may be determined by the Board;
provided that Options designated as incentive stock options shall meet all of
the conditions for incentive stock options as defined in Section 422 of the
Code. No Option shall be granted within the meaning of the Plan and no purported
grant of any Option shall be effective until the Agreement shall have been duly
executed on behalf of the Company and the optionee.

         (b) If an optionee makes a "disposition" (within the meaning of Section
424(c) of the Code) of shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of an
incentive stock option within two years from the date of grant or within one
year from the date the shares of Common Stock are transferred to the optionee,
the optionee shall, within ten days of disposition, notify the Board and deliver
to it any withholding and employment taxes due. However, if the optionee is a
person subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, delivery of any withholding
and employment taxes due may be deferred until ten days after the date any
income on the disposition is recognized under Section 83 of the Code. The
Company may cause a legend to be affixed to certificates representing shares of
Common Stock issued upon exercise of incentive stock options to ensure that the
Board receives notice of disqualifying dispositions.

8.       Option Price.

         (a) The Option price or prices of shares of the Common Stock for
Options designated as non-qualified stock options shall be as determined by the
Board.

         (b) Subject to the conditions set forth in Section 6(b) hereof, the
Option price or prices of shares of the Company's Common Stock designated as
incentive stock options shall be

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at least the fair market value of such Common Stock on the date the Option is
granted as determined by the Board in accordance with the Regulations
promulgated under Section 422 of the Code.

         (c) If such shares are then listed on any national securities exchange,
the fair market value shall be the mean between the high and low sales prices,
if any, on the largest such exchange on the date of the grant of the Option or,
if there are no such sales on such date, shall be determined by taking a
weighted average of the means between the highest and lowest sales prices on the
nearest date before and the nearest date after the date of grant in accordance
with Section 25.2512-2 of the Regulations. If the shares are not then listed on
any such exchange, the fair market value of such shares shall be the mean
between the closing "Bid" and the closing "Ask" prices, if any, as reported in
the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System
("NASDAQ") for the date of the grant of the Option, or, if there are no such
prices on such date, shall be determined by taking a weighted average of the
means between the highest and lowest sales prices on the nearest date before and
the nearest date after the date of grant in accordance with Section 25.2512-2 of
the Regulations. If the shares are not then either listed on any such exchange
or quoted in NASDAQ, the fair market value shall be the mean between the average
of the "Bid" and "Ask" prices, if any, as reported in the National Association
of Securities Dealers National Daily Quotation Service for the date of the grant
of the Option, or, if there are no such prices on such date, shall be determined
by taking a weighted average of the means between the highest and lowest sales
prices on the nearest date before and the nearest date after the date of grant
in accordance with Section 25.2512-2 of the Regulations. If the fair market
value cannot be determined under the preceding three sentences, it shall be
determined in good faith by the Board in accordance with Section 422 of the
Code.

9.       Manner of Payment; Manner of Exercise.

         (a) Options granted under the Plan may provide for the payment of the
exercise price by delivery of (i) cash or a check payable to the order of the
Company in an amount equal to the exercise price of such Options, (ii) shares of
Common Stock owned by the optionee having a fair market value (at the date of
exercise) equal in amount to the exercise price of the Options being exercised,
or (iii) any combination of (i) and (ii). The fair market value of any shares of
Common Stock which may be delivered upon exercise of an Option shall be
determined by the Board in accordance with Section 8 hereof.

         (b) To the extent that an Option is exercisable, Options may be
exercised in full at one time or in part from time to time, by giving written
notice, signed by the person or persons exercising the Option, to the Company,
stating the number of shares with respect to which the Option is being
exercised, accompanied by payment in full for such shares as provided in Section
9(a) hereof. No exercise of an Option may be made for fewer than 100 full shares
of Common Stock unless such exercise is made for the entire fractional amount of
a share remaining to be

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purchased pursuant to such Option. Upon such exercise, delivery of a certificate
for paid-up, non-assessable shares shall be made by the Company to the person or
persons exercising the Option within 20 business days after receipt of such
notice by the Company.

10.      Exercise of Options.

         Each Option granted under the Plan shall, subject to Sections 11(b), 13
and 16 hereof, be exercisable at such time or times and during such period as
shall be set forth in the Agreement; provided, however, that except as otherwise
provided pursuant to the provisions of Section 6(b) hereof, no Option granted
under the Plan shall have a term in excess of ten years from the date of grant.

11.      Term of Options; Exercisability.

         (a)      Term.

                  (i) Each Option shall expire on a date determined by the Board
which is not more than ten years from the date of the granting thereof, except
(a) as otherwise provided pursuant to the provisions of Section 6(b) hereof, and
(b) for earlier termination as herein provided.

                  (ii) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 11, an
Option granted to any optionee who ceases to be an Eligible Person for any
reason shall terminate on the earlier of (i) three (3) months after the date
such optionee ceased to be an Eligible Person, or (ii) the date on which the
Option expires by its terms.

                  (iii) If an optionee ceases to be an Eligible Person because
the Company has terminated his or her status with the Company for cause (as such
term is defined in any employment or similar agreement between such optionee and
the Company or, if there is no such agreement, or such agreement does not
contain provisions relating to termination or removal for cause, as such term is
defined by the law of the State of New York), such Option will, to the extent
not terminated, be deemed to have terminated on the date immediately preceding
the date the optionee ceased to be an Eligible Person.

                  (iv) If an optionee ceases to be an Eligible Person because
the optionee has become disabled (within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the
Code), such Option shall

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terminate on the earlier of (i) one year after the date such optionee ceased to
be an Eligible Person, or (ii) the date on which the Option expires by its
terms.

                  (v) In the event of the death of any optionee, such Option
shall terminate on the earlier of (i) one year after the date of death, or (ii)
the date on which the Option expires by its terms.

         (b)      Exercisability.

                  (i) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(b), an
Option granted to an optionee who thereafter ceases to be an Eligible Person
shall be exercisable only to the extent that the right to purchase shares under
such Option is exercisable on the date such optionee ceased to be an Eligible
Person.

                  (ii) An Option granted to an optionee who ceases to be an
Eligible Person because he or she has become disabled (as such term is defined
in any employment or similar agreement between such optionee and the Company or,
if there is no such agreement, or such agreement does not contain provisions
relating to termination or removal for disability, as determined by the Board)
shall be immediately exercisable as to the full number of shares covered by such
Option, whether or not under the provisions of the Plan or Agreement such Option
was otherwise exercisable as of the date of disability.

                  (iii) In the event of the death of an optionee, the Option
granted to such optionee may be exercised as to the full number of shares
covered by such Option, whether or not under the provisions of the Plan or
Agreement the optionee was otherwise exercisable at the date of his or her
death, by the executor, administrator or personal representative of such
optionee, or by any person or persons who acquired the right to exercise such
Option by bequest or inheritance or by reason of the death of such optionee.

                  (iv) In addition to the acceleration of the exercisability of
Options pursuant to this Section 11(b) and Section 13(b)(ii) hereof, the Board
shall have the right, in the exercise of its discretion and for any reason, and
with the consent of the optionee, to accelerate the date on which Options shall
be exercisable.

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12.      Transferability.

         The right of any optionee to exercise any Option granted to him or her
shall not be assignable or transferable by such optionee other than by will or
the laws of descent and distribution, and any such Option shall be exercisable
during the lifetime of such optionee only by him or her. Any Option granted
under the Plan shall be null and void and without effect upon the bankruptcy of
the optionee to whom the Option is granted, or upon any attempted assignment or
transfer, except as herein provided, including, without limitation, any
purported assignment, whether voluntary or by operation of law, pledge,
hypothecation or other disposition, or levy of execution, attachment, trustee
process or similar process, whether legal or equitable, upon such Option. The
Board shall have discretion to grant any Option that is not designated as an
incentive stock option, free of any or all of the restrictions described in this
Section.

13.      Recapitalization, Reorganizations and the Like.

         (a) In the event that after October 25, 1996 the outstanding shares of
the Common Stock are changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of
shares or other securities of the Company by reason of any reorganization,
recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, combination of shares, or
dividends payable in capital stock, appropriate and equitable adjustment shall
be made by the Board, in its sole discretion, in the number and kind of shares
as to which Options may be granted under the Plan and as to which outstanding
Options or portions thereof then unexercised shall be exercisable. Such
adjustment in outstanding Options shall be made without change in the total
price applicable to the unexercised portion of such Options and with a
corresponding adjustment in the Option price per share.

         (b) (i) In addition, unless otherwise determined by the Board in its
sole discretion, in the case of any (I) merger or consolidation pursuant to
which the Company's stockholders shall receive cash or securities of another
corporation and less than 50% of the outstanding capital stock of the surviving
corporation pursuant to such merger or consolidation shall be owned by the
stockholders of the Company, (II) sale or conveyance to another entity of all or
substantially all of the property and assets of the Company or (III) Change in
Control of the Company, the Company shall, or shall cause such surviving
corporation or the purchaser(s) of the Company's assets to, deliver to the
optionee the same kind of consideration that is delivered to the stockholders of
the Company as a result of such merger, consolidation, sale, conveyance or
Change in Control, or the Board may cancel all outstanding Options in exchange
for consideration in cash or marketable securities, which consideration in both
cases shall be equal in value to the value of those shares of stock or other
securities the optionee would have received had the Option been exercised (but
only to the extent then exercisable) and had no disposition of the shares
acquired upon such exercise been made prior to such merger, consolidation, sale,

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conveyance or Change in Control, less the Option price therefor or, in lieu
thereof, the Board shall give the optionee at least twenty days prior written
notice of any such transaction in order to enable the optionee to exercise the
exercisable portion, if any, of the Option. Upon receipt of such consideration
or effective on the date specified in such notice, all Options (whether or not
then exercisable) shall immediately terminate and be of no further force or
effect. The value of the stock or other securities the optionee would have
received if the Option had been exercised shall be determined in good faith by
the Board, and in the case of shares of Common Stock, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 8 hereof.

                  (ii) The Board shall also have the power and right to
accelerate the exercisability of any Options, notwithstanding any limitations in
this Plan or in the Agreement upon such merger, consolidation, sale, conveyance
or Change in Control.

         (c) A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if any
person, or any two or more persons acting as a group, and all affiliates of such
person or persons, who prior to such time Beneficially Owned (as defined in Rule
13d-3 under the Exchange Act) less than 40% of the then outstanding Common
Stock, shall acquire such additional shares of Common Stock in one or more
transactions, or series of transactions, such that following such transaction or
transactions, such person or group and affiliates Beneficially Own 50% or more
of the Common Stock outstanding.

         (d) If by reason of a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of
property or stock, separation, reorganization, or liquidation, the Board shall
authorize the issuance or assumption of a stock option or stock options in a
transaction to which Section 424(a) of the Code applies, then, notwithstanding
any other provision of the Plan, the Board may grant an option or options upon
such terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate for the purpose of
assumption of the old Option, or substitution of a new option for the old
Option, in conformity with the provisions of such Section 424(a) of the Code and
the Regulations thereunder, and any such option shall not reduce the number of
shares otherwise available for issuance under the Plan. In the event of such
issuance or assumption, the provisions of Section 13(b) hereof shall not be
applicable.

14.      No Special Employment Rights.

         Nothing contained in the Plan or in any Option granted under the Plan
shall confer upon any optionee any right with respect to the continuation of his
or her employment by the Company or any subsidiary or interfere in any way with
the right of the Company or any subsidiary, subject to the terms of any separate
employment agreement to the contrary, at any time to terminate such employment
or to increase or decrease the compensation of the Option holder from the rate
in existence at the time of the grant of an Option. Whether an authorized leave
of absence, or absence in military or government service, shall constitute
termination of

                                        9

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employment for purposes of any Option shall be determined by the Board at the
time of such occurrence.

15.      Withholding.

         The Company's obligation to deliver shares upon the exercise of any
Option granted under the Plan shall be subject to the Option holder's
satisfaction of any applicable federal, state and local income and employment
tax withholding requirements. The Company and optionee may agree to withhold
shares of Common Stock purchased upon exercise of an Option to satisfy the
above-mentioned withholding requirements.

16.      Restrictions on Exercise of Options and Issuance of Shares.

         (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 9 and 11 hereof, an
Option cannot be exercised, and the Company may delay the issuance of shares
covered by the exercise of an Option and the delivery of a certificate for such
shares, until one of the following conditions shall be satisfied:

                  (i) The shares with respect to which such Option has been
exercised are at the time of the issuance of such shares effectively registered
or qualified under applicable federal and state securities acts now in force or
as hereafter amended; or

                  (ii) Counsel for the Company shall have given an opinion,
which opinion shall not be unreasonably conditioned or withheld, that the
issuance of such shares is exempt from registration and qualification under
applicable federal and state securities acts now in force or as hereafter
amended.

         (b) The Company shall be under no obligation to qualify shares or to
cause a registration statement or a post-effective amendment to any registration
statement to be prepared for the purpose of covering the issuance of shares in
respect of which any Option may be exercised or to cause the issuance of such
shares to be exempt from registration and qualification under applicable federal
and state securities acts now in force or as hereinafter amended, except as
otherwise agreed to by the Company in writing in its sole discretion.

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17.      Purchase for Investment; Rights of Holder on Subsequent Registration.

         Unless and until the shares to be issued upon exercise of an Option
granted under the Plan have been effectively registered under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), as now in force or hereafter amended, the
Company shall be under no obligation to issue any shares covered by any Option
unless the person who exercises such Option, in whole or in part, shall give a
written representation and undertaking to the Company which is satisfactory in
form and scope to counsel for the Company and upon which, in the opinion of such
counsel, the Company may reasonably rely, that he or she is acquiring the shares
issued pursuant to such exercise of the Option for his or her own account as an
investment and not with a view to, or for sale in connection with, the
distribution of any such shares, and that he or she will make no transfer of the
same except in compliance with any rules and regulations in force at the time of
such transfer under the 1933 Act, or any other applicable law, and that if
shares are issued without such registration, a legend to this effect may be
endorsed upon the securities so issued.

         In the event that the Company shall, nevertheless, deem it necessary or
desirable to register under the 1933 Act or other applicable statutes any shares
with respect to which an Option shall have been exercised, or to qualify any
such shares for exemption from the 1933 Act or other applicable statutes, then
the Company may take such action and may require from each optionee such
information in writing for use in any registration statement, supplementary
registration statement, prospectus, preliminary prospectus, offering circular or
any other document that is reasonably necessary for such purpose and may require
reasonable indemnity to the Company and its officers and directors from such
holder against all losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising from such use
of the information so furnished and caused by any untrue statement of any
material fact therein or caused by the omission to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made.

18.      Loans.

         At the discretion of the Board, the Company may loan to the optionee,
or pay to the optionee as a bonus, some or all of the purchase price of the
shares acquired upon exercise of an Option, the terms of such loans or bonus to
be at the discretion of the Board.

19.      Modification of Outstanding Options.

         Subject to any applicable limitations contained herein, the Board may
authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option with the consent of the
optionee when and subject to such conditions as are deemed to be in the best
interests of the Company and in accordance with the

                                       11
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purposes of the Plan. Without limiting the foregoing, the Board shall have the
authority to effect, at any time and from time to time, with the consent of the
affected optionees, the cancellation of any or all outstanding Options under the
Plan and to grant in substitution therefor new Options under the Plan covering
the same or different numbers of Shares and having, at the discretion of the
Board and subject to Sections 6 and 8 hereof, an exercise price, in the case of
Options designated as non-qualified stock options, as shall be determined by the
Board and, in the case of Options designated as incentive stock options, of not
less than one hundred percent (100%) of the fair market value of the Common
Stock on the new grant date.

20.      Approval of Board and Stockholders.

         The Plan shall become effective upon adoption by the Board and the
stockholders of the Company; provided, however, that the Plan shall be submitted
for approval by the stockholders of the Company within 12 months after the date
of adoption of the Plan by the Board. If the stockholders of the Company fail to
approve the Plan within 12 months after the date of adoption of the Plan by the
Board, the Plan and all stock options granted thereunder shall be and become
null and void and of no further force or effect.

21.      Termination and Amendment of Plan.

         Unless sooner terminated as herein provided, the Plan shall terminate
ten years from the earlier of (x) the date on which the Plan was duly adopted by
the Board, and (y) the date on which the Plan was duly approved by the
stockholders of the Company. The Board may at any time terminate the Plan or
make such modification or amendment thereof as it deems advisable; provided,
however, (i) the Board may not, without the approval of the stockholders of the
Company obtained in the manner stated in Section 20 hereof, increase the maximum
number of shares for which Options may be granted or change the designation of
the class of persons eligible to receive Options under the Plan, and (ii) any
such modification or amendment of the Plan shall be approved by a majority of
the stockholders of the Company to the extent that such stockholder approval is
necessary to comply with applicable provisions of the Code, rules promulgated
pursuant to Section 16 of the Exchange Act (if any), applicable state law, or
applicable NASD or exchange listing requirements. Termination or any
modification or amendment of the Plan shall not, without the consent of an
optionee, affect his or her rights under an Option theretofore granted to him or
her.

22.      Duties of the Company.

         The Company shall at all times keep available for issuance or delivery
such number of shares of Common Stock as will be sufficient to satisfy the
requirements of the Plan.

                                       12
<PAGE>

23.      Limitation of Rights in the Option Shares.

         An optionee shall not be deemed for any purpose to be a stockholder of
the Company with respect to any of the Options until (x) the Option shall have
been exercised with respect thereto (including payment to the Company of the
exercise price) and (y) the earlier to occur of (i) the delivery by the Company
to the optionee of a certificate therefor, or (ii) the date on which the Company
is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 9(b) hereof.

24.      Governing Law.

         The Plan and all Options shall be governed by and construed under the
laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to principles of conflicts
of law.

25.      Notices.

         Any communication or notice required or permitted to be given under the
Plan shall be in writing, and mailed by registered or certified mail or
delivered by hand, if to the Company, to the attention of the President at the
Company's principal place of business; and, if to an optionee, to his or her
address as it appears on the records of the Company.

26.      Headings.

         The headings contained in this Plan are for convenience of reference
only and in no way define, limit or describe the scope or intent of the Plan or
in any way affect this Agreement.

                                       13<PAGE>   1
                                                                  EXHIBIT 10(ss)

                         NOVAMETRIX MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC.

                                       and

                    CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.

                                       as

                                  Rights Agent

                                Rights Agreement

                          Dated as of December 29, 1999
<PAGE>   2
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                Page

<S>            <C>                                                                                              <C>
Section 1.     Certain Definitions............................................................................    1

Section 2.     Appointment of Rights Agent....................................................................    4

Section 3.     Issue of Right Certificates....................................................................    5

Section 4.     Form of Right Certificates.....................................................................    6

Section 5.     Countersignature and Registration..............................................................    6

Section 6.     Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
               Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates...................................................    7

Section 7.     Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights..................................    7

Section 8.     Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.............................................    8

Section 9.     Availability of Preferred Shares...............................................................    9

Section 10.    Preferred Shares Record Date...................................................................    9

Section 11.    Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights.............................   10

Section 12.    Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.....................................   15

Section 13.    Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power...........................   15

Section 14.    Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares........................................................   16

Section 15.    Rights of Action...............................................................................   17

Section 16.    Agreement of Right Holders.....................................................................   17

Section 17.    Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder..............................................   18

Section 18.    Concerning the Rights Agent....................................................................   18

Section 19.    Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent......................................   18

Section 20.    Duties of Rights Agent.........................................................................   19

Section 21.    Change of Rights Agent.........................................................................   21

Section 22.    Issuance of New Right Certificates.............................................................   22
</TABLE>

                                       i
<PAGE>   3
<TABLE>
<S>            <C>                                                                                               <C>
Section 23.    Redemption.....................................................................................   22

Section 24.    Exchange.......................................................................................   23

Section 25.    Notice of Certain Events.......................................................................   24

Section 26.    Notices........................................................................................   25

Section 27.    Supplements and Amendments.....................................................................   25

Section 28.    Successors.....................................................................................   26

Section 29.    Benefits of this Agreement.....................................................................   26

Section 30.    Severability...................................................................................   26

Section 31.    Governing Law..................................................................................   26

Section 32.    Counterparts...................................................................................   26

Section 33.    Descriptive Headings...........................................................................   26
</TABLE>

                                       ii
<PAGE>   4
                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                  AGREEMENT, dated as of December 29, 1999, between Novametrix
Medical Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company (the
"Rights Agent").

                  The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each
Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of
business on December 30, 1999 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the
right to purchase one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter
defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has
further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each
Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration
Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).

                  Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

                  Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

         (a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 20% or more of the Common Shares
of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any
Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person
holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to the proviso in this sentence, no
Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" solely as the result of (x) an
acquisition after the date hereof of Common Shares by the Company which, by
reducing the number of Common Shares outstanding, increases the proportionate
number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of the Common
Shares of the Company then outstanding or (y) the acquisition of Beneficial
Ownership of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding in
the good faith belief that such acquisition would not (A) cause such Beneficial
Ownership to exceed 20% of the Common Shares then outstanding and such Person
relied in good faith in computing the percentage of its Beneficial Ownership on
publicly filed reports or documents of the Company which are inaccurate or
out-of-date or (B) otherwise cause a Distribution Date to occur; provided,
however, that if such Person does not reduce its percentage of Beneficial
Ownership of Common Shares to below 20% by 5:00 P.M. New York City time on the
tenth Business Day after notice (the date of notice being the first day),
including by telephone or facsimile, from the Company to such Person (requesting
such Person to reduce its Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares to less than
20%), such Person shall, at the end of such ten Business Day period, become an
Acquiring Person (and this sentence shall no longer apply to such Person). For
purposes of this definition, the determination whether any Person acted in "good
faith" shall be conclusively determined, and any notices hereunder must be
specifically authorized, by the Board of Directors of the Company, acting by a
vote of

                                       1
<PAGE>   5
those directors of the Company whose approval would be required to redeem the
Rights under Section 23.

                  (b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.

                  (c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities (other than securities
acquired from the Company by such Person or by any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates in or pursuant to a transaction approved by a majority of the
Continuing Directors in office immediately prior to such transaction);

                           (i) which such Person or any of such Person's
         Affiliates or Associates is deemed to "beneficially own" within the
         meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date
         of this Agreement;

                           (ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
         Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such
         right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
         pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
         customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
         members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or
         upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other
         than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however,
         that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
         beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange
         offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's
         Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted
         for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
         agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a
         Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially
         own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to
         vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent
         given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent
         solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
         rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not
         also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
         comparable or successor report); or

                           (iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
         indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any of such
         Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
         understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
         underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
         public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
         voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section
         1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company.

                  Notwithstanding anything in this definition of the Beneficial
Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with
reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall
mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the
number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such
Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.

                                       2
<PAGE>   6
                  (d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Connecticut or
the city in which the office of the Rights Agent is located are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close. (e) "Close of Business" on any
given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Connecticut time, on such date; provided,
however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
Connecticut time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

                  (f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of common stock, $.01 par value, of the Company. "Common
Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such
other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the
Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.

                  (g) "Continuing Director" shall mean (i) any member of the
Board of Directors of the Company (while such Person is a member of the Board of
Directors) who is not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, or a representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such
Affiliate or Associate, and was a member of the Board of Directors prior to or
on the Distribution Date, or (ii) any Person who subsequently becomes a member
of the Board of Directors (while such Person is a member of the Board of
Directors) who is not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, or a representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such
Affiliate or Associate, if such Person's nomination for election or election to
the Board of Directors is recommended or approved by a majority of the
Continuing Directors.

                  (h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.

                  (i) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7 hereof.

                  (j) An "Offer" shall mean a written proposal delivered to the
Company by any Person who both beneficially owns 1% or less of the outstanding
Common Shares as of the date such proposal is delivered and who has not within
one year prior to the delivery of such written proposal beneficially owned in
excess of 1% of the then outstanding Common Shares of the Company and (at a time
when such Person beneficially owned such greater than 1% stake) disclosed, or
caused the disclosure of, any intention which relates to or would result in the
acquisition, or influence of control, of the Company (an "Offeror"), and which
proposal:

                           (i) provides for the acquisition of all of the
         outstanding shares of Voting Stock (as hereinafter defined) held by any
         Person other than the Offeror and its Affiliates for cash at the same
         price;

                           (ii) is accompanied by a written opinion of a
         nationally recognized investment banking firm which is addressed to the
         holders of shares of Voting Stock other than the Offeror and its
         Affiliates and states that the price to be paid to such holders
         pursuant to the Offer is fair to such holders;

                                       3
<PAGE>   7
                           (iii) states that the Offeror has obtained written
         financing commitments from recognized financing sources, and/or has on
         hand cash or cash equivalents, for the full amount of all financing
         necessary to consummate the Offer; and

                           (iv) requests the Company to call a special meeting
         of the holders of Voting Stock for the purpose of voting on a
         resolution requesting the Board of Directors to accept such Offer and
         contains a written agreement of the Offeror to pay (or share with any
         other Offeror) at least one-half of the Company's costs of such special
         meeting (exclusive of the Company's costs of preparing and mailing
         proxy material for its own solicitation).

                  (k) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or
other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.

                  (1) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Preferred
Stock, $1.00 par value, of the Company having the rights and preferences set
forth in the form of Certificate of Designation attached to this Agreement as
Exhibit A.
                  (m) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.

                  (n) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such.

                  (o) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or
other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity
securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

                  (p) "Voting Stock" shall mean (i) the Common Shares of the
Company and (ii) any other shares of capital stock of the Company entitled to
vote generally in the election of directors or entitled to vote together with
the Common Shares in respect of a merger, consolidation, sale of all or
substantially all of the Company's assets, liquidation, dissolution or winding
up. Whenever any provision of this Agreement requires a determination of whether
a number of shares of Voting Stock comprising a specified percentage of such
Voting Stock has been voted, tendered, acquired, sold or otherwise disposed of,
or a determination of whether a Person has offered or proposed to acquire a
number of shares of Voting Stock comprising such specified percentage, the
number of shares of Voting Stock comprising such specified percentage of Voting
Stock shall in every such case be deemed to be the number of shares of Voting
Stock comprising the specified percentage of the Company's entire voting power
then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or then entitled to
vote together with the Common Shares in respect of any merger, consolidation,
sale of all or substantially all of the Company's assets, liquidation,
dissolution or winding up.

                  Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
 appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with
 the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
 appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as
 it may deem necessary or desirable. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to
 supervise, and in no event shall be liable for, the acts or omissions of any
 such co-Rights Agent.

                                       4

<PAGE>   8

                  Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier
 of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth day
 (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors
 prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of
 the commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
 Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
 Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any
 such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of any
 Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
 benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity
 holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) or
 commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in
 any Person becoming the Beneficial owner of Common Shares aggregating 20% or
 more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including any such date which is
 after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the
 earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x)
 the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provision of Section 3(b) hereof)
 by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders
 thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and
 not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right
 Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of
 Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company
 will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company
 will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested and
 provided with all necessary information, send) by first-class, insured,
 postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of
 Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
 records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of
 Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common
 Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely
 by such Right Certificates.

                  (b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter,
 the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
 Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of
 Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common
 Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such
 holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for
 Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date,
 the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of
 the holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached
 thereto. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or
 the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for
 Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the
 Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the
 Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.

                  (c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
 (including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the
 last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the
 earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
 Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to
 them the following legend:

                                       5
<PAGE>   9
                  This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
                  to certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between
                  Novametrix Medical Systems Inc. and ChaseMellon Shareholder
                  Services, L.L.C., dated as of December 29, 1999 (the "Rights
                  Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein
                  by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
                  offices of Novametrix Medical Systems Inc. Under certain
                  circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such
                  rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no
                  longer be evidenced by this certificate. Novametrix Medical
                  Systems Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificate a
                  copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a
                  written request therefore. Under certain circumstances, Rights
                  issued to Acquiring Persons or Associates or Affiliates
                  thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) may become null
                  and void.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall
not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which
are no longer outstanding.

                  Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates
(and the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate, which do not affect the duties or responsibilities of the Rights
Agent, and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as
may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation
made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on
which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage.
Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall
entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the number of
such one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be
subject to adjustment as provided herein.

                  Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents,
or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Right

                                       6
<PAGE>   10
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer.

                  Following the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights
Agent of all necessary information, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be
kept, at its office or offices designated as the appropriate place for surrender
of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for registration and
transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
date of each of the Right Certificates.

                  Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of
Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on
the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered
then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registration holder desiring to
transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right
Certificates shall make writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person
entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be,
as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up,
combination or exchange of Right Certificates. The Rights Agent shall have no
duty or obligation under this Section unless and until it is satisfied that all
such taxes and/or charges have been paid.

                  Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to
the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto,
and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate
if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the
Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

                  Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise, provided herein) in whole or in
part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly and properly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights
Agent, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of
a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the Close of Business on

                                       7
<PAGE>   11
December 15, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the
Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or
(iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24
hereof.

                  (b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $25.00,
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and
13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America
in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

                  (c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and certification duly
and properly executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the
shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable tax or charge
required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with
Section 9 hereof, in cash, or by certified check or bank draft payable to the
order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon as soon as practicable
(i) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make
available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent) certificates for the
number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, (ii) when
appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu
of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14, (iii) as soon as
practicable after receipt of such certificates, cause the same to be delivered
to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate,
registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv)
when appropriate, after receipt, as soon as practicable deliver such cash to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.

                  (d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate
 shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right
 Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
 shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right
 Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of
 Section 14 hereof.

                  (e) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
 reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares
 or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares
 that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
 Rights in accordance with Section 7.

                  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
 neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
 action with respect to a registered holder of Rights upon the occurrence of any
 purported transfer or exercise of Rights pursuant to Section 6 hereof or this
 Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the
 certificate contained in the form of assignment or form of election to purchase
 set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such
 transfer or exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity
 of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof as the Company or
 the Rights Agent shall reasonably request.

                  Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up, combination or exchange

                                       8
<PAGE>   12
shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to
the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered to
the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be
issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of
this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation
and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right
Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the
exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right
Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company,
destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a
certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

                  Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. The Company
covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to
ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the
time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to
payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and
fully paid and nonassessable shares.

                  The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of
the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any Preferred Shares
upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay
any tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of
certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Shares in a name other
than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates or
depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any Rights until
such tax or charge shall have been paid (any such tax or charge being payable by
the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has
been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax or
charge is due.

                  Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose
name any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
Preferred Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated,
the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable tax or charge)
was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a
date upon which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are closed,
such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on,
and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which
the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the
exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate
shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which
the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to
vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive
rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of
the Company, except as provided herein.

                  Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.

                                       9
<PAGE>   13
                  (a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine
the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect
at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned
upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend
subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no
event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right.

                           (ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the
event any Person shall become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall
thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to
the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of
Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that
product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Company's
Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date such
Person became an Acquiring Person. In the event that any Person shall become an
Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not
take any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights.

                           From and after the occurrence of the event described
above, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by such
Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall
be null and void and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to
exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. No Right Certificate
shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially owned
by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be null and void pursuant to the
preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate
shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring
Person whose Rights would be null and void pursuant to the preceding sentence or
any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person,
Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent
for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be null and void pursuant
to the preceding sentence shall be cancelled.

                           (iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient
Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit
the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii), the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the

                                       10
<PAGE>   14
Rights. In the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common
Shares, the Company shall substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise
be issuable upon exercise of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction
thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share
multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market
price of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or
fraction thereof.

                  (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares
entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record
date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent
preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent
preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security
convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in
Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such plus the number of
Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of
Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered (and/or the
aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred
shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid
in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the
value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and which shall be conclusive for all purposes.
Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.

                  (c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making
of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred
to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such
record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and which shall be conclusive for all
purposes) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants

                                       11
<PAGE>   15
applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.

                  (d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose
of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading
Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to but not
including such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per
share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on
such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into
such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such
Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after but not including
the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case,
the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect
the current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing
price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in the case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or
admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated
Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any
such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is
open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.

                           (ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder,
the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined
in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred
Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market
price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one hundred. If
neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so
listed or traded, "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per
share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the

                                       12
<PAGE>   16
Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and which shall be conclusive for all purposes.

                  (e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required
unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of
this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and
taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this
Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth
of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the
case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any
Rights.

                  (f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred
Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise
of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on
terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the
provisions of Section 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall
apply on like terms to any such other shares.

                  (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

                  (h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.

                  (i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of

                                       13
<PAGE>   17
Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made, with prompt notice thereof to the
Rights Agent. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is
adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued,
shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If
Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of
Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as
practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates
on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof,
the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of
such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed
to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right
Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon
surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing
all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment.
Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and
countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in the
names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.

                  (j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued
may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates
issued hereunder.

                  (k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par value, if
any, of the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company
shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.

                  (l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer with prompt notice thereof to
the Rights Agent until the occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of
any Right exercised after such record date of the Preferred Shares and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
over and above the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the
Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price
in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall
deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing
such holder's right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the
event requiring such adjustment.

                  (m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine
to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred
Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the
current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities
which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares,
dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or

                                       14
<PAGE>   18
issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section
11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall
not be taxable to such stockholders.

                  (n) In the event that any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (i) the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event
upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to
such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (ii) each
Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with
respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding
immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments
provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a
dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation
is effected.

                  Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13
hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts and computations accounting for
such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for
the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c)
mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance
with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on
any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall have no
duty with respect to and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such
adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

                  Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, (a) the Company
shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person, (b) any Person
shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the
Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in
connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed
into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the
Company) or cash or any other property, or (c) the Company shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise
transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50%
or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any other Person other than the Company or one or more of
its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision
shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided
herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at
a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,
such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as
successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result
obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is

                                       15
<PAGE>   19
then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per
share market price of the Common Shares of such other Person (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares
shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the
Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such issuer shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its
Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the
Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The
Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The Company
shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13
if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments
or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result
of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially
diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of
this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or
sales or other transfers.

                  Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute
Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use
or, if on any such date the rights are not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of
the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.

                  (b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions
which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred

                                       16
<PAGE>   20
Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company
and a depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide
that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights,
privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of
the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of
fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right
Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount
in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Preferred
Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a
Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined
pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

                  (c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).

                  Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent
under this Agreement, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders
of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or,
prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of
the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his
own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or
proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his
right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner
provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of the Rights, it is
specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate
remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or
threatened violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this
Agreement.

                  Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a
Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:

                  (a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;

                  (b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper
instrument of transfer; and

                  (c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the
person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the

                                       17
<PAGE>   21
associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other than the Company or
the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the
Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

                  Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.
No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purposes the holder of the Preferred Shares or
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.

                  Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the
administration, preparation, delivery, amendment and execution of this Agreement
and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also
agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any
loss, liability, obligation, damage, judgement, fine, penalty, claim, demand,
settlement, cost or expense (including reasonable attorney fees and reasonable
fees for other professional services), incurred without gross negligence, bad
faith or willful misconduct, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction,
on the part of the Rights Agent, for any action taken, suffered or omitted by
the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including, without limitation, the costs and expenses of defending
against any claim of liability in the premises. The indemnity provided herein
shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the termination of this
Agreement. The reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Rights Agent in
enforcing this right of indemnification shall be paid by the Company. Anything
to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable
for special, punitive, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of
any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the
Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage. Any
liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement will be limited to the amount
of fees paid by the Company to the Rights Agent.

         The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for,
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with,
its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of
the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document believed by it to, be genuine and to be
signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper
Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 20 hereof.

                  Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent. Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with

                                       18
<PAGE>   22
which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger or
consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a
party, or any Person succeeding to the shareholder services business of the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights
Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any
further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such Person
would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the
provision of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent
shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the
Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

         In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at the time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

                  Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes only the duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement
upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the
holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

                  (a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice or opinion of such counsel
shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as
to any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance
with such advice or opinion.

                  (b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and
the determination of current per share market price) be proved or established by
the Company prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, such
fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically
prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive
Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of
the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be
full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall
incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted in
good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.

                  (c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company
and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

                                       19
<PAGE>   23
                  (d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to
have been made by the Company only.

                  (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any liability or
responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and
delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible or liable for any breach
by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in
any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible or liable for any change in
the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming null and void
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the
Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section
3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of
Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that such change or
adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right
Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued, by validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

                  (f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further an other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.

                  (g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by
it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any
delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.

                  Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions
from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing,
any action proposed to be taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent under
this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or
such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any
action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal
included in any such application on or after the date specified in such
application (which date shall not be less than five Business Days after the date
any officer of the Company actually receives such application, unless any such
officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to
taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the
Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such
application specifying the action to be taken, suffered or omitted.

                                       20
<PAGE>   24
                  (h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, Affiliate,
officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the
Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the company or for any other Person.

                  (i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, in the
selection and continued employment thereof.

                  (j) At any time and from time to time after the Distribution
Date, upon the request of the Company, the Rights Agent shall as soon as
practicable deliver to the Company a list as of the most recent practicable date
(or as of such earlier date as may be specified by the Company), of the holders
of record of Rights.

                  (k) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability
in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its
rights if it believes that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification
against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

                  (l) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to
the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the form
of assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse
thereof, as the case may be, has not been completed to certify the holder is not
an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate thereof), the Rights Agent
shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or
transfer without first consulting with the Company.

                  Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or
after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the
resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate
(who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the
Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any
court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent.

                                       21
<PAGE>   25
Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court,
shall be (i) a Person organized and doing business under the laws of the United
States or any State of the United States, in good standing, which is authorized
to do business under such laws and is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authorities and which has at the time of its appointment as
Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million or (ii) is
an Affiliate of a Person described in (i) above. After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.

                  Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

                  Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Rights may be redeemed by
action of the Board of Directors pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 23
and shall not be redeemed in any other manner.

                  (b) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem
all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of
$.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption
price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption
of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time on
such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole
discretion may establish.

                  (c) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (b) of
this Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall
promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity
of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors
ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (b), the Company
shall mail a notice of redemption to the Rights Agent and to all the holders of
the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of

                                       22
<PAGE>   26
the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the
manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives
the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its
Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at
any time in manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or
in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common
Shares prior to the Distribution Date.

                  Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio
of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof
(such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to
effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any
subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such
Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of
any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.

                  (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange with prompt
notice thereof to the Rights Agent; provided, however, that the failure to give,
or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange.
The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the
holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.
Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the
Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial
exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange
shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights
which have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

                  (c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company,
at its option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred shares,
as such term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for Common Shares exchangeable
for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or
equivalent , preferred share) for each Common Share, as appropriately adjusted
to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the Preferred Shares pursuant to
the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a Preferred Share delivered in lieu
of each Common Share shall have the same voting rights as one Common Share.

                                       23
<PAGE>   27
                  (d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares or Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued
to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section
24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
additional Common Shares or Preferred Shares for issuance upon exchange of the
Rights.

                  (e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the
purposes of this paragraph (e), the current market value of a whole Common Share
shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(D)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.

                  Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company
shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders
of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to
offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for
or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class
or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any
reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification
involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect
any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other
transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or
other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any
other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in
Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the
Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in
Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder
of a Right Certificate and to the Rights Agent, in accordance with Section 26
hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date
for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants,
or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale,
transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date
of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred
Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in
the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10
days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred
Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.

                  (b) In case any event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall
describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights
under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

                                       24
<PAGE>   28
                  Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

                  Novametrix Medical Systems Inc.
                  5 Technology Drive
                  Wallingford, Connecticut 06492

Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

                  ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
                  111 Founders Plaza, 11th Floor
                  East Hartford, Connecticut 06108
                  Attn:  John Boryczki

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.

                  Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from
time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent
with any other provisions herein, to shorten or lengthen any time period
hereunder (which lengthening or shortening, following any Person becoming an
Acquiring Person shall be effective only if there are Continuing Directors then
in office and shall require the concurrence of a majority of such Continuing
Directors) or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights which the
Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or amendment to be
evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights Agent; provided,
however, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person
and the twenty-day redemption period provided for in Section 23(b) has expired,
this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would adversely affect
the interests of the holders of Rights. Without limiting the foregoing, the
Company may at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds set forth in Sections l (a)
and 3 (a) hereof from 20% to not less than the greater of (i) any percentage
greater than the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known
by the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person (other than the Company,
any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant
to the terms of any such plan) and (ii) 10%. Upon the delivery of a certificate
from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed
supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, and
such supplement or amendment does not change or increase the Rights Agent's
duties, liabilities or obligations, the Rights Agent shall execute such
supplement or amendment.

                                       25
<PAGE>   29
                  Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of
this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.

                  Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the
sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
Common Shares).

                  Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

                  Section 31. Governing Law. The validity, interpretation and
construction of this Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall
be governed by the substantive laws of the State of Delaware; provided, however,
that all provisions regarding the rights, duties and obligations of the Rights
Agent shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the
State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely
within such State.

                  Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.

                  Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.

                                       26
<PAGE>   30
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

                                   NOVAMETRIX MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC.

                                   By:/s/William J. Lacourciere
                                      ---------------------------------------
                                         William J.  Lacourciere
                                         Chairman of the Board, President and
                                         Chief Executive Officer

                                   CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.

                                   By /s/John J. Boryczki
                                      ---------------------------------------
                                         John J. Boryczki
                                         Assistant Vice President

                                       27
<PAGE>   31
                                                                       Exhibit A

                                     FORM OF
                           CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
                           OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK

                                       OF

                         NOVAMETRIX MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC.

                         Pursuant to Section 151 of the
                General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

                  We, Louis P. Pellegrino, Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer, and Thomas M. Haythe, Secretary, of Novametrix Medical
Systems Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware, in accordance with the provisions of Section 103
thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:

                  That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of
Directors by Article Fourth the Certificate of Incorporation of said
Corporation, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 151 of the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, its Board of Directors on March 10,
1989, adopted the following resolution creating a series of its Preferred Stock,
$1.00 par value, designated as Series A Preferred Stock:

                  RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board
of Directors of this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Article
Fourth of its Certificate of Incorporation, a series of Preferred Stock, $1.00
par value, of the Corporation, be and it hereby is created, and that the
designation and amount thereof and the voting powers, preferences and relative,
participating, optional and other special rights of the shares of such series,
and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof are as follows:

                  (A) Designation and Amount. An aggregate of 50,000 shares of
         Preferred Stock $1.00 par value, of the Corporation are hereby
         constituted as a series designated as "Series A Preferred Stock" (the
         "Series A Preferred Stock"). Such number of shares may be increased or
         decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no
         decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
         to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the
         number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding
         options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding
         securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A
         Preferred Stock.

                  (B) Dividends and Distributions

                  1. Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
series of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to
the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock in preference to the holders of Common Stock, $.01 par
value (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation, and of any other junior

                                      A-1
<PAGE>   32
stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of
Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends
payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each
year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an
amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1.00
or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times
the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the
aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of
Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare
or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b)
of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.

                  2. The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on
the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph 1 of this Section
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the
Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

                  3. Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of
issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to
accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to
receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative
from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall

                                      A-2
<PAGE>   33
not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in
an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and
payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis
among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a
record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared
thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date
fixed for the payment thereof.

                  (C) Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:

                  1. Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof
to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the
Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  2. Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other
Certificate of Amendment creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar
stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the
holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation
having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters
submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation

                  3. Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by
law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights.

                  (D) Certain Restrictions

                  1. Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section B
are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock
outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

                  (a) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
         on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
         liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred
         Stock;

                  (b) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
         on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
         upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A
         Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
         Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are
         payable or in

                                      A-3
<PAGE>   34
         arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all
         such shares are then entitled;

                  (c) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
         shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
         liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred
         Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase
         or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for
         shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to
         dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series
         A Preferred Stock;

                  (d) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
         shares of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of
         stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in
         accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as
         determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares
         upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the
         respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and
         preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in
         good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the
         respective series or classes.

                  2. The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph 1 of this
Section D purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such
manner.

                  (E) Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock
subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the
Certificate of Incorporation or as otherwise required by law.

                  (F) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall
be made (i) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A
Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of
Common Stock, or (ii) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to
which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation,
dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination of consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than

                                      A-4
<PAGE>   35
by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each-such case the aggregate amount to
which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately
prior to such event under the proviso in clause (i) of the preceding sentence
shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  (G) Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of
Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  (H) Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall
not be redeemable.

                  (I) Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with
respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to
all series of any other class of the Corporation's Preferred Stock.

                  (J) Amendment. The Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock
so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting
together as a single series.

                  The amendment was authorized by resolution duly adopted by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation at a meeting thereof duly called and held
on March 10, 1989, at which a quorum was present and acting throughout.

                                      A-5
<PAGE>   36
                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused its corporate
seal to be hereunder affixed and this Certificate of Designation to be signed by
Louis P. Pellegrino its Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, and
attested to by Thomas M. Haythe, its Secretary, on the 14th day of March, 1989.

                                        ------------------------------
                                             Louis P.  Pellegrino
                                           Chairman of the Board and
                                            Chief Executive Officer

Attest:

------------------------------
       Thomas M. Haythe
           Secretary

                                      A-6
<PAGE>   37
                           CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT TO
                          CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF
                           OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK

                                       OF

                         NOVAMETRIX MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC.

                         Pursuant to Section 151 of the
                General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

                  The undersigned, William J. Lacourciere, Chairman of the
Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Novametrix Medical Systems Inc.,
a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware, does hereby certify in accordance with the provisions of
Section 103 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as follows:

                  1. That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of
Directors by Article Fourth of the Certificate of Incorporation of said
Corporation, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 151(g) of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as of December 15, 1999, the
Board of Directors of the Corporation increased the number of shares of the
Series A Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value, of the Corporation from 50,000 shares
to 90,000 shares, and adopted the following resolutions in connection therewith:

                  RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board
of Directors of this Corporation by Article Fourth of its Certificate of
Incorporation, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 151(g) of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, this Board of Directors of the
Corporation hereby increases the number of shares of Preferred Stock, $1.00 par
value, of the Corporation authorized and designated as Series A Preferred Stock
("Series A Preferred Stock") from 50,000 shares to 90,000 shares, which Series A
Preferred Stock shall be described and shall have the rights, preferences and
privileges as set forth in the Certificate of Designation filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on March 14, 1989; and it is

                  FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Certificate of Designation filed
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on March 14, 1989, is
hereby amended by deleting Section (A) in its present form and substituting
therefor a new Section (A) in the following form:

                           (A) Designation and Amount. An aggregate of 90,000
                  shares of Preferred Stock $1.00 par value, of the Corporation
                  are hereby constituted as a series designated as "Series A
                  Preferred Stock" (the "Series A Preferred Stock"). Such number
                  of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the
                  Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce
                  the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to

                                      A-7
<PAGE>   38
                  a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus
                  the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise
                  of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the
                  conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the
                  Corporation convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.

                  2. The foregoing designation was authorized by resolution duly
adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as of December 15, 1999.

                                      * * *

                                      A-8
<PAGE>   39
                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this
Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Designation to be signed by its
Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer on the ___ day of
December, 1999.

                                    NOVAMETRIX MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC.

                                   By______________________________
                                     William J. Lacourciere
                                     Chairman of the Board, President and Chief
                                     Executive Officer

                                      A-9
<PAGE>   40
                                                                       Exhibit B

                            Form of Right Certificate

Certificate No. R-                                              _________ Rights

                           NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 15, 2009 OR EARLIER IF
                           REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT
                           TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON
                           THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.

                                Right Certificate

                         NOVAMETRIX MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC.

                  This certifies that _______________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of December 29, 1999 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between Novametrix Medical Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey
limited liability company (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at
any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Connecticut time, on December 15, 2009 at the
office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent,
one one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Preferred
Stock, $1.00 par value (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase
price of $25.00 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form
of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate (and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above and the Purchase
Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of ____________,
19_, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in
the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths of
a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment
upon the happening of certain events.

                  This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of
the Company and the above-mentioned offices of the Rights Agent.

                                      B-1
<PAGE>   41
                  This Right Certificate, with or without other Right
Certificates, upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged
for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

                  Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for
Preferred Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, $.01 par value.

                  No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

                  No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

                  This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

                  WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of _______, 20___.

ATTEST:                                 NOVAMETRIX MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC.

By ____________________________         By ____________________________
Name:                                   Name:
Title:                                  Title:

Countersigned:

CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER
     SERVICES, L.L.C.
     as Rights Agent

By ____________________________
       Authorized Signature

                                      B-2
<PAGE>   42
                    Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate

                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

                (To be executed by the registered holder if such
               holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)

                  FOR VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
                  (Please print name and address of Transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ____________________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

Dated: ______________, 20____

                                        ________________________________________
                                        Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

                  Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.

________________________________________________________________________________

                  The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).

                                        ________________________________________
                                        Signature

________________________________________________________________________________

                                      B-3
<PAGE>   43
             Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

                      (To be executed if holder desires to
                        exercise the Right Certificate.)

To NOVAMETRIX MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC.:

                  The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
____________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase
the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that
certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

                         (Please print name and address)

If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

                         (Please print name and address)

Dated: ___________, 20___

                                        ________________________________________
                                        Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

                  Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.

             Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued

                  The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).

                                        ________________________________________
                                        Signature

________________________________________________________________________________

                                      B-4
<PAGE>   44
                                     NOTICE

                  The signature in the foregoing Forms of Assignment and
Election must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.

                  In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.

                                      B-5
<PAGE>   45
                                                                       Exhibit C

                          SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                                PREFERRED SHARES

                  On December 15, 1999, the Board of Directors of Novametrix
Medical Systems Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share
purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, $.01 par
value (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on December
30, 1999 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that date. Each
Right entities the registered holder to purchase from the Company one
one-hundredth of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value (the
"Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a price of $25.00 per one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the
"Rights Agreement") between the Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,
L.L.C., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

                  Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any person
becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of
an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of
such outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the
Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common
Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.

                  The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution
Date, the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until
the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new
issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Shares, outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or
a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date and such separate Rights Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.

                  The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date.
The Rights will expire on December 15, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"),
unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier
redeemed by the Company, in each case, as described below.
<PAGE>   46
                  The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares
or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of
certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a
price, or securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price,
less than the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon
the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

                  The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are
also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or
a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.

                  Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not be redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum
preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1.00 per share but will be entitled
to an aggregate dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In
the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled
to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share.
Each Preferred Share will have 100 votes, voting together with the Common
Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction
in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to
receive 100 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are
protected by customary antidilution provisions.

                  Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth interest in a
Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the
value of one Common Share.

                  In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or
earning power are sold, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a
Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at
the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common
stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a
market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any
person becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each
holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person
(which will thereafter be null and void), will thereafter have the right to
receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two
times the exercise price of the Right.
<PAGE>   47
                  At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange
the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which have become
null and void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share,
or one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of
the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and
privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).

                  With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least
1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.

                  At any time prior to the close of business on the twentieth
day after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or associated
persons of beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares,
the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of
the rights may be made effective at such time on such basis and with such
conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights
will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive
the Redemption Price.

                  The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights,
including an amendment to lower the threshold for exercisability of the Rights
from 20% to not less than the greater of (i) any percentage greater than the
largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known to the Company to
be beneficially owned by any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
and (ii) 10%, except that from and after such time as any person becomes an
Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the
holders of the Rights.

                  Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends.

                  A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K
dated December __, 1999. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of
charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport
to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights
Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

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