SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         Washington, D.C. 20549

                               FORM 8-K/A

                             CURRENT REPORT

                PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                    SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                          (Amendment No. 1)


   Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)  December 5, 1997


                     BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC.
   __________________________________________________________________
           (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


   A Delaware Corporation             1-7928              94-1381833
   __________________________________________________________________
   (State or Other Jurisdiction     (Commission        (IRS Employer
      of Incorporation)              File  Number) Identification No.)


   1000 Alfred Nobel Drive, Hercules, California               94547
   __________________________________________________________________
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                (Zip Code)

   Registrant's telephone number, including area code  (510)724-7000


                               No Change
   __________________________________________________________________
     (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)







   


   The Registrant hereby amends its Current Report on Form 8-K dated
   December 5, 1997,  filed with the  SEC on December  18, 1997,  to
   provide information  that was  originally withheld pursuant  to a
   request  for  confidential  treatment.   Such  request  has  been
   withdrawn.  All changes have been redlined.


   ITEM 2.   Acquisition of Assets

        (a)  On December 5, 1997, Chiron Diagnostics Corporation and
             Chiron Corporation (collectively "Chiron") and Bio-Rad
             Laboratories, Inc. ("Bio-Rad" or the "Company") entered
             into an Asset Purchase Agreement whereby Bio-Rad
             purchased the assets used by Chiron in the business of
             manufacturing, marketing and sale of diagnostics controls
             (exclusive of control product for use with blood gas or
             blood electrolyte diagnostics systems).  The cash
             purchase price was financed through the Company's
             existing principal revolving credit agreement.  The
             purchase price has been omitted and filed separately and
             in confidence with the Securities and Exchange
             Commission.

        (b)  The physical assets acquired by Bio-Rad, inventory and
             equipment, were employed by Chiron in the manufacture and
             distribution of diagnostic control products.  Bio-Rad
             plans to employ these assets in the same or similar
             business during its ownership.

   ITEM 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and
             Exhibits

        (c)  The exhibit to this report is listed in the accompanying
             Index to Exhibits.














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                               SIGNATURES


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

                                 BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC.
                                       (Registrant)


   Date:  April 10, 1998         /s/ Sanford S. Wadler
                                 Sanford S. Wadler, Vice President,
                                 General Counsel and Secretary
































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                       BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC.

                           INDEX TO EXHIBITS

                               ITEM 7(c)


   The following documents are filed as part of this report:


   Exhibit No.

      2.1    Asset Purchase Agreement ("Agreement") dated December
             5, 1997 between Chiron Diagnostics Corporation, Chiron
             Corporation and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. excluding
             Exhibits and Schedules.  Pursuant to Regulation S-K
             Item 601(b)(2), the Exhibits and Schedules listed on
             pages iv and v of the Agreement have not been filed.
             The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy
             of any omitted schedule to the Commission upon request.
          






















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