UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   Brothers, John A.
   
   5200 Blazer Parkway
   Dublin, Ohio  43017
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   Ashland Inc.
   ASH
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
   
4. Statement for Month/Year
   July 31, 1998
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
   
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   ( ) Director ( ) 10% Owner (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
   (specify below)
   Executive Vice President
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
   (X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
   ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                 |
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1. Title of Security       |2.    |3.    |4.Securities Acquired (A)         |5.Amount of        |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect       |
                           | Transaction |  or Disposed of (D)              |  Securities       |ect   |  Beneficial Ownership     |
                           |      |      |                                  |  Beneficially     |(D)or |                           |
                           |      |    | |                  | A/|           |  Owned at         |Indir |                           |
                           | Date |Code|V|    Amount        | D |    Price  |  End of Month     |ect(I)|                           |
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Common Stock               |      |    | |                  |   |           |7,776 (1)          |I     |By Trustee                 |
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Common Stock               |      |    | |                  |   |           |1,433 (2)          |I     |By Trustee                 |
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Common Stock               |      |    | |                  |   |           |20,000 (3)         |D     |                           |
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Common Stock               |7-14-9|G   |V|385               |D  |           |18,644             |D     |                           |
                           |8     |    | |                  |   |           |                   |      |                           |
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                   |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Con-  |3.   |4.    |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount  |8.Price|9.Number    |10.|11.Nature of|
  Security            |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and|  of Underlying     |of Deri|of Deriva   |Dir|Indirect    |
                      |or Exer |     |      | rities Acqui  |Expiration |  Securities        |vative |tive        |ect|Beneficial  |
                      |cise    |     |      | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/|                    |Secu   |Securities  |(D)|Ownership   |
                      |Price of|     |      | posed of(D)   |Day/Year)  |                    |rity   |Benefi      |or |            |
                      |Deriva- |     |      |               |Date |Expir|                    |       |ficially    |Ind|            |
                      |tive    |     |      |           | A/|Exer-|ation|   Title and Number |       |Owned at    |ire|            |
                      |Secu-   |     |    | |           | D |cisa-|Date |   of Shares        |       |End of      |ct |            |
                      |rity    |Date |Code|V|  Amount   |   |ble  |     |                    |       |Month       |(I)|            |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
                                                                            
Common Stock Units (4)|1-for-1 |6-30-|J   | |36         |A  |     |     |Common Stock|36     |$48.438|9,370       |D  |            |
                      |        |98   |    | |           |   |     |     |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Option (5)            |30.50   |     |    | |           |   |9-19-|10-19|Common Stock|6,250  |       |3,750       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |93   |-01  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |30.50   |     |    | |           |   |9-19-|10-19|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |94   |-01  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Option (5)            |23.875  |     |    | |           |   |9-21-|10-21|Common Stock|12,500 |       |12,500      |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |93   |-02  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |23.875  |     |    | |           |   |9-21-|10-21|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |94   |-02  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |23.875  |     |    | |           |   |9-21-|10-21|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |95   |-02  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Option (6)            |33.125  |     |    | |           |   |9-16-|10-16|Common Stock|12,500 |       |12,500      |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |94   |-03  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |33.125  |     |    | |           |   |9-16-|10-16|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |95   |-03  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |33.125  |     |    | |           |   |9-16-|10-16|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |96   |-03  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Option (6)            |35.875  |     |    | |           |   |9-15-|10-15|Common Stock|12,500 |       |12,500      |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |95   |-04  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |35.875  |     |    | |           |   |9-15-|10-15|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |96   |-04  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |35.875  |     |    | |           |   |9-15-|10-15|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |97   |-04  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Option (6)            |33.875  |     |    | |           |   |9-21-|10-21|Common Stock|12,500 |       |12,500      |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |96   |-05  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |33.875  |     |    | |           |   |9-21-|10-21|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |97   |-05  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |33.875  |     |    | |           |   |9-21-|10-21|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |98   |-05  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Option (6)            |39.00   |     |    | |           |   |9-19-|10-19|Common Stock|12,500 |       |12,500      |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |97   |-06  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |39.00   |     |    | |           |   |9-19-|10-19|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |98   |-06  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |39.00   |     |    | |           |   |9-19-|10-19|Common Stock|6,250  |       |6,250       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |99   |-06  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Option (7)            |53.375  |     |    | |           |   |9-18-|10-18|Common Stock|15,000 |       |15,000      |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |98   |-07  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |53.375  |     |    | |           |   |9-18-|10-18|Common Stock|7,500  |       |7,500       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |99   |-07  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |53.375  |     |    | |           |   |9-18-|10-18|Common Stock|7,500  |       |7,500       |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |00   |-07  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |        |     |    | |           |   |     |     |            |       |       |            |   |            |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|

Explanation of Responses:
1.  Shares accrued under Ashland's Leveraged Employee Stock Ownership Plan as 
of 3-31-96, the date of the 
final allocation to this 
account.
2.  Based on Employee Savings Plan information as of 7-29-98, the latest date 
for which such information is 
reasonably available, and includes transactions occurring on or after 
4-2-98.
3.  Shares of restricted common stock granted pursuant to Ashland's 1997 Stock 
Incentive Plan and exempt under 
Rule 16b-3.  
4. Common Stock Units acquired pursuant to Ashland's 1995 Deferred Compensation 
Plan as of June 30, 1998, 
payable in cash or stock upon termination of service and exempt under Rule 
16b-3(d).  A portion of the gain in 
shares is due to a correction of an administrative error.  
5.  Employee stock option (represents a right to buy Ashland Common Stock) 
granted pursuant to Ashland's  
Long-Term Incentive Plan.  The employee stock option includes a tax withholding 
feature pursuant to the plan.
6.  Employee stock option (represents a right to buy Ashland Common Stock) 
granted pursuant to Ashland's 1993 
Stock Incentive Plan.  The employee stock option includes a tax withholding 
feature pursuant to the plan.
7.  Employee stock option (represents a right to buy Ashland Common Stock) 
granted pursuant to Ashland's 1997 
Stock Incentive Plan.  The employee stock option includes a tax withholding 
feature pursuant to the plan.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
John A. Brothers
DATE
August 3, 1998