Pricing Supplement No. 16 dated November 19, 1998                 Rule 424(b)(3)
(To Prospectus dated April 1, 1996                             File No. 33-58887
and Prospectus Supplement dated April 1, 1996)

                            COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY

                      Medium-Term Notes - Fixed Rate Notes

                                    Series C

    We are hereby offering to sell Notes having the terms specified below to you
with the  assistance  of Merrill  Lynch,  Pierce,  Fenner & Smith  Incorporated,
acting  as  agent,  at a fixed  initial  public  offering  price  of 100% of the
principal amount.

principal amount: $12,000,000           Original Issue Date:   November 24, 1998
Interest Rate:    5.27% per annum       Net Proceeds to Company:     $11,940,000
Stated Maturity Date: December 1, 2003  Agent's Discount or Commission:  $60,000

Interest Payment Dates: Semi-Annually (See "Other Provisions - Interest" below).

Redemption:             The Notes cannot be redeemed by the Company prior to the
                        Stated Maturity Date.

Optional Repayment:     The Notes cannot be repaid at the option of the holder
                        thereof prior to the Stated Maturity Date.

Currency:               Specified Currency:  U.S. dollars

Form:                   The Notes are being issued in fully registered
                        book-entry form.

Other provisions:

Interest:

         Interest on the Notes will accrue  from  November  24, 1998 and will be
         payable in U.S.  dollars on the first day of June and  December of each
         year,  commencing  June 1, 1999 up to and including the Stated Maturity
         Date (each, an "Interest Payment Date").  Interest will accrue from and
         including each Interest  Payment Date (or from November 24, 1998, if no
         interest has been paid or duly  provided for) to but excluding the next
         succeeding Interest Payment Date. In the event an Interest Payment Date
         falls on a day other than a Business Day,  interest will be paid on the
         next  succeeding  Business  Day and no interest on such  payment  shall
         accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date to such
         next succeeding Business Day.

Use of Proceeds:

         The net proceeds from the sale of the Notes will be used by the Company
         to retire  commercial paper which was issued by the Company for general
         corporate  purposes and working  capital.  As of November 13, 1998, the
         Company's outstanding  commercial paper had a weighted average interest
         rate of 5.255% with maturities ranging from 3 to 70 days.