POWER OF ATTORNEY


	Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Sirisha Gummaregula, Michael E. Prevoznik, and
Leo C. Farrenkopf, Jr., signing singly, the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
capacity as an executive officer and/or director of Quest Diagnostics
Incorporated (the "Company"), Form ID Applications and Forms 3, 4 and 5 in
accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
rules thereunder;

(2)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form ID
Application, Form 3, 4 or 5, complete and execute any amendment or
amendments thereto, and timely  file such form with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and any other authority; and

(3)	take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit
to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it
being understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on
behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in
such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-
fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

	The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full
power and authority to do and perform all and every act and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary and proper to be done in the exercise of any of the
rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as
the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of
substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the
rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of
the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the company assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.

	This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until
the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect
 to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by
the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing
delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

	IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of
Attorney to be executed as of this 9th day of April, 2004.



	/s/Dan C. Stanzione
	Signature
	DAN C. STANZIONE


STATE OF NEW JERSEY)
	  	   ):  ss.
COUNTY OF BERGEN   )

	On this 9th day of April, 2004, before me, the subscriber,
personally appeared DAN C. STANZIONE, to me and known to me to be the
same person described in and who executed the foregoing instrument, and
he duly acknowledged to me that he executed the same.


	/s/Angela Del Casale
	Notary Public

